Australian batsman Steve Smith has been receiving lots of trolls on social media since he has acknowledged his ball-tampering attempt along with Cameron Bancroft and David Warner. Now, Air New Zealand joined the party to troll the exposed Australian cricketer, by calling him a ‘naughty boy’. A video posted on the Airline’s Twitter page suggested a session of ‘legal’ swing bowling session for Smith. A unique advertisement by the airways said, “Hey Steve. We need to talk. We hear you’re heading home for some time off.”
This comes at a time when Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft, who was found guilty after the ball-tampering scandal were punished to return home in the ongoing South Africa tour. Smith and Warner have been banned for a year from international cricket along with a suspension from IPL 2018 as well, while Bancroft has received a ban of 9 months from international cricket. The Cricket Australia CEO, James Sutherland has asked the trio to return back home during a press conference on Tuesday.
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In the video, Air New Zealand said, “This Friday, we’re taking on the Poms again in Christchurch. How about a masterclass in (legal) swing bowling?” They also suggested that the temperatures there are colder and it would help him escape the ‘heat’ back in Australia.
https://twitter.com/FlyAirNZ/status/978844131823730688
The ball-tampering incident took place during the third Test against South Africa when Bancroft was caught rubbing the ball using a yellow tape. He later went on to hide the tape inside his trousers but the series of actions were caught on camera. In the post-match press conference, Smith acknowledged his mistake and revealed that it was his team’s plan to get an advantage.
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The International Cricket Council (ICC) had already announced its verdict – suspending Steve Smith for one Test and fining him for 100 percent of his match fee. Bancroft was fined 75 percent of his match fee and awarded three demerit points. The three have departed South Africa on Wednesday while Tim Paine will lead the Kangaroos in the fourth Test at Johannesburg.
