FORMER Australian Test captain Kim Hughes calls for Steve Smith to be sacked amidst ball-tampering crisis.
Hughes, 64, slammed the ICC for their “useless” punishment of Smith while saying he should never captain the country again.
Smith was given a one Test ban and fined 100 per cent of his match fee after admitting to orchestrating the ball-tampering disgrace.
He has also been stripped of the captaincy for IPL side the Rajasthan Royals for the 2018 season.
Meanwhile, Cameron Bancroft – who fiddling with the ball himself – was only fined 75 per cent of his match fee and escaped a ban.
Speaking on talkSPORT Hughes could not have been more angry towards the current crop of Aussies.
He roared: “Cricket is our national game, the Baggy Green is an icon and the spirit that Australians stand for.
“The last thing you would want to be called is a cheat. That is what we were. It was absolutely disgraceful.”
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When quizzed as to whether Smith would ever captain Australia again, Hughes added: “No, not on your nelly, God, no.
“There have only been 43 or 44 men that have done it and you can’t accept someone with those standards.”
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Hughes continued his incredible rant, going on to blast the ICC for the pathetic punishment imposed on Smith, saying: “It sums up the ICC.
“A one Test match ban and all of his salary? It’s useless fining men in professional sport that earn obscene amounts of money.
“What you need to do is ban them for six or 12 months, take away sponsors and that type of thing.
“We are pretty good at thumping our chest and saying there are cheats in running, cheats in cycling and that type of thing.
“Now when an Australian stands up and talks from the pulpit, people will say ‘hang on mate, you guys are cheats as well, you had your captain cheating’.
“This was a pre-meditated tactic by the captain and whomever and it is a dark day for Australia.”
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