Both men have been swept away by that tsunami, but there is little sign of it abating yet. Why such a strong visceral reaction, with, seriously, no-one defending them? And why does seemingly everyone, even those with no interest whatsoever in cricket, also seem to be calling for their heads? Part of it is because cricket is deeply embedded in the national psyche, our self-identity. While the football codes are played in a mosaic of different tribal loyalties across the land, cricket is played from Darwin to the Derwent, Perth to Pittwater, and we have traditionally looked up, way up, to those with the honour of wearing the Baggy Green cap. Woe betide, thus, anyone that brings dishonour upon it. And of course there has been national outcries before, but never like this.

No explanation: Cameron Bancroft talking to the umpire after the ball tampering incident. Credit:AP At least with the under-arm episode, back in 1981, was firstly, technically legal, something that happened in the heat of the moment, a desperate last-ball-of-the-day ploy, ordered by Australian captain Greg Chappell at a time when, by his own admission, he was not “mentally fit,” to be the skipper. The horror of what happened in South Africa overnight was just how our national cricketing leadership could engage in such cold-blooded, premeditated, clear-eyed CHEATING. Seriously? It has come to this? We really have an Australian cricket captain, of vast experience, surrounded by a leadership group equally steeped in the lore and laws of the ancient game, and he not only orders a junior member of the team to tamper with the ball, but not one person in the group spoke up and said the bleeding bloody obvious: It’s wrong! It is not only against the spirit of the game, but is so far the other side of the laws of the game, it’s nudging up against murder of cricket.

It’s stupid – not surface stupid, not shallow stupid, but core stupid, stupid that goes right to the bone! We are in an arena with thirty cameras rolling, and we will be caught! I don’t think this is such a great idea, you know, Skip?

Say, if we win because of this, did you consider how we will manage to get to sleep for the next ten years? We are the heirs of Victor Trumper, Don Bradman, Keith Miller, Richie Benaud, Bobby Simpson, Adam Gilcrhist . . . and yet we’re really going to use something other than our skill and guile to win the game?

But no, clearly, not only did Steve Smith put the idea out there, but no-one around him spoke up. In the wake of this disaster Smith still has some questions to answer. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Take your pick: WHAT WERE YOU FREAKING THINKING?

You hold this position of extraordinary honour, traditionally thought of as the most prestigious after being Prime Minister – notwithstanding John Howard’s view that it was the other way around – and you actually thought that the advantage gained by such flagrant cheating, stood up against the risk you took of destroying your own good name, that of all the players involved, and your country? DID WE MENTION? WHAT WERE YOU FREAKING THINKING? Why was Cameron Bancroft, the least experienced Test player in the team, the one who was told to do the dirty? This was the equivalent of a Sergeant, being told by a General, to breach the rules of the Geneva Convention. The Sergeant is at fault, and no mistake, but it is the General who is truly responsible. If you thought this was such a great idea, Steve Smith, why didn’t you, or someone else in the leadership group do it? Have you heard of the leader never asking one of your men to do something that you are not prepared to do yourself? Well, why the hell didn’t you do it? So where to, from here? Captain knocked: Smith's legacy has been unquestionably tarnished. Credit:Themba Hadebe

Smith needs some time in the far pavilions whence he came. Warner, too, depending on just what his level of involvement was. As to who the new long-term captain should be, clearly it is no-one in the leadership group that knew of what was going on. Either they can find someone in the team of sufficient seniority who is a clean-skin to do the job, or they must bring in someone from outside – perhaps a Sheffield Shield captain, given the task of captaining the side, and restoring the country’s reputation, or even Michael Clarke, called on to do a “Bobby Simpson,” to come back for a cameo captaincy stint. When I sat next to Clarke on Channel Nine’s Sports Sunday on Sunday Morning, and pressed him, four times whether he would be available, four times he dropped a dead bat on it and demurred. But with the fifth go, he swung lustily and responded: “If I was asked by the right people, then I would think about my answer.” So we’ll see.