Former Test all-rounder Shane Watson has gone into bat for Steve Smith on the eve of Smith’s return to grade cricket, saying the 12-month bans from international cricket handed to Smith and David Warner were ‘way, way over the top’.
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Watson will line up alongside Smith for Sutherland when the NSW Premier Cricket season starts on Saturday while Warner will play for Randwick Petersham against St George.
It will be the first time Watson and Smith have played together since the Twenty20 World Cup in India in 2016.
As well as Cricket Australia’s one-year ban from international and domestic cricket, Smith and Warner were also handed two-year and life-time bans from holding leadership positions.
But the pair are able to play grade cricket and are required to complete 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket.
Watson said he expected Smith and Warner to return to international cricket at the completion of their bans.
“As I’ve said from the start for the bans to be as harsh as they were was way, way over the top,” Watson said.
“We’ve seen what’s happened at other times during international cricket when people have got done for ball-tampering, it hasn’t been a 12-month ban. So it’s way over the top and unfortunately these guys have to accept the consequences of making a big mistake.
“And unfortunately that’s going to last for 12 months from an international cricket point of view. But you know what, everything happens for a reason in your life and setbacks only make you a stronger human being. Not everything always goes perfectly well in your life.
“Steve has had an incredible journey in his life so far to the heights and unfortunately this has been a setback for him. But he’s only going to be a better whole person, whether that’s as a cricketer or away from cricket. That’s all that matters.”
Sutherland will host Mosman in front of what is expected to be a large crowd at Caringbah, with Smith to make his first appearance for his boyhood club on their home track since round one of the 2013-14 season.
With parents picking up their kids and a bloke out walking his dachshund while carrying his baby daughter, it was a different vibe for Smith as he trained alongside Watson and his new Sutherland teammates for the first time at the Glenn McGrath Oval nets on Tuesday afternoon.
Watson said despite the less than ideal circumstances, having Smith available would be a huge bonus for Sutherland and the Sydney grade cricket circuit this season.
“It’s a great thing for the club. There’s no doubt, to be able to get so many people coming along to the game. Just to be able to have the chance to play with him again from my very selfish point of view is going to be a lot of fun,” he said.
“There’s no doubt it’s a great time for the club to put the great things they’ve done over a long period of time on display to some different parts of the world.
“Everyone is excited to have one of the best batsmen in the world playing for Sutherland. Reconnecting with the legacy he left when he was playing here more often when he was younger is a great thing for the club.
“Back when I first started playing grade cricket up in Queensland I was fortunate enough to play against Ian Healy when he was still wicketkeeper for the Test team.
“I was playing against Andrew Symonds and Matthew Mott and guys who were playing around the Australian team.
“Whereas now it just doesn’t happen anymore because the schedule is always so hectic. As well as workloads and everything it just means that club cricketers don’t get access to Australian players who are the best players.
“There’s no question it’s going to revitalise grade cricket. It’s just it might not be that ongoing because to be able to get access to Australian players to play grade cricket the schedule is just so busy.”
