Katich: Banned trio would earn more respect if they served their time

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Former Australia batsman Simon Katich feels Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft should see out their suspensions despite a push by the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) to have the bans overturned.

The ACA said they will formally submit a request to Cricket Australia (CA) to have the trio return immediately to top-level cricket as a result of information contained in the culture review released on Monday.

ALSO READ: ACA push to get banned trio back on the field

A review into a ball-tampering scandal condemned an “arrogant” and “controlling” culture at CA that drove the players to cheat in pursuit of victory.

However, Katich, who played played in 56 Tests between 2001 and 2010, claimed he did not support the move for the players to return early as they also need to take responsibility for “blatantly cheating”.

Katich told radio station SEN: “I think the players should see out their bans. They admitted what they did was wrong, and they blatantly cheated.

“I just don’t think shortening the bans is going to do anyone any good. I think the public will be disappointed to think they could get away with what they did just because of what this (Ethics Centre culture) review has found.

“They have to be responsible for their actions, regardless of what is going on in the background with the administrators and the culture that’s been created.

“The players still have to put their hand up – which they have – and cop the bans on the chin and do their time.

“They’ll earn a lot more respect that way than if the ban gets shortened – because, realistically, if the bans get shortened it’s like the review said -it’s a win-at-all costs mentality.

“From a welfare point of view, it would be important they can come back and play the game they love and they have done it tough.

“But what they did, as grown men – they knew they couldn’t take sandpaper out there (on the field) otherwise why were they trying to hide it down their pants?”

Warner and Smith each received one-year suspensions while Bancroft was banned for nine months following the ball-tampering scandal in March this year.

ACA Australia Cameron Bancroft Cricket Australia David Warner Simon Katich Steve Smith

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