|| Desk Report ||

Cricket’s hangover from Cape Town has now all but cleared with Steve Smith free to captain Australia again if called upon.

With the world’s focus on the devastating coronavirus pandemic, Smith’s two-year leadership ban from the sandpaper ball-tampering scandal ended quietly on Sunday morning.

David Warner’s leadership ban is career-long, meaning there are no more terms left to expire from the sanctions imposed following the sport’s darkest day.
It comes after the scandal cost Cricket Australia their men’s captain, vice- captain, opening batsman (suspended) and coach (resigned) before the CEO and some members of the executive departed.

Smith and Warner have since returned to their sparkling best on the international scene, while Cameron Bancroft was afforded two chances in the Ashes before being dropped.

Justin Langer has found success replacing Darren Lehmann as coach, while Kevin Roberts has settled in as chief executive and the sport again looks settled. While Smith’s ban has been lifted, his time is now being spent in his home gym, playing guitar and going on 10 kilometre runs with the sporting world in limbo due to coronavirus.

Australian players were meant to fly from a New Zealand tour to the Indian Premier League this week, but it’s now unclear when they’ll next appear on a cricket field.

Mid-year tours of Bangladesh and England must be in major doubt and beyond them the Twenty20 World Cup and home Test series against India are scheduled for next summer.