Expecting 'flak,' Aussies return to scene of cricket scandal

It's maybe final acid test of rehabilitation of David Warner and Steve Smith as y return to country where y played central roles in one of most scandalous episodes in cricket.

Warner, Smith and Australia are back in South Africa for first time since ball-tampering drama of two years ago that led to 12-month bans for Warner and Smith, lost Smith captaincy, and threw ir team into turmoil.

two batsmen, two of Australia's best, returned to international cricket nearly a year ago following bans by ir national board. But this week gives South Africa fans ir first chance to personally “welcome” m back.

“re’s doubt we’re going to cop a bit of flak from South African crowds,” Australia allrounder Mitchell Marsh said. “I think it’s really important we cop it with a smile on our face. We kw what’s happening.”

Indeed, Australia, and Warner and Smith in particular, are going to have to grin and bear it.

A three-match Twenty20 series gets underway on Friday at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, toriously home to a vocal and hostile crowd, and where Australia's ill-fated 2018 tour ended.

Australia and South Africa will also play three one-day internationals.

That test series two years ago was littered by unsavory incidents even before Warner convinced teammate Cameron Bancroft to illegally tamper with ball to try and get an advant in third test in Cape Town. Smith, as captain, knew about plan and allowed it to go ahead.

Bancroft is t on this tour but Warner and Smith will almost certainly be targeted by boos and taunting. South African officials hope thing worse.

“Our guys are expecting that,” Australia captain Aaron Finch said. “Regardless of what I think, crowd are going to act however y please so I don’t think it’s going to make much difference to us.”

Warner, a combustible character with previous disciplinary issues, will especially be under scrutiny. He was at center of ill-feeling in 2018 even before ball tampering. He and South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock — South Africa's captain for this series — had a heated confrontation on dressing room stairs in first test and had to be pulled apart by teammates. It stemmed from Warner's on-field sledging, or taunting, of de Kock, who responded.

Warner, because of that, was targeted by South African crowds in second test. And he had a verbal altercation with a supporter on edge of field in third game. series exploded into controversy with Warner-led plan to tamper with ball using a piece of sandpaper later in that third test, but re was all-out animosity between teams well before.

Cricket-wise, this series is chance for both to begin fine-tuning ahead of Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in October and vember. That's t where focus has been.

Justin Langer, who took over as Australia coach in aftermath of ball-tampering scandal, said he has established a more respectful ethos in team. What 2018 scandal also revealed was that teams appeared to be sick of Australia, for years dominant force in cricket, dishing out sledging but complaining when it came back at m.

Australia team has done much soul-searching since.

"We’ve talked a lot about this in team, changing culture," Langer said. “It’s a great game and you want to see good battles between skills, between batters and bowlers. And we want to see it played in great spirit.

"From an Australian cricket point of view, I think we’ve shown that we’re ready to embrace that. We’ve done it for 18 months w and re’s absolutely reason why that won’t continue.”

Will South African fans embrace it, too?

“I would plead with South African fans to respect our opponents and don't go overboard with se things,” interim Cricket South Africa CEO Jacques Faul told Australian media.

But Mike Haysman, an Australian and former player who lives in South Africa and commentates on cricket, expects hostility.

"Warner will cop it. South African supporters are like that. bottom line is David made his bed and he's got to lie in it," Haysman told Australia's Wide World of Sports.

Haysman said some fans will "treat whole thing in good humor" but re will "definitely be people who'll go low."

Warner lost war of words in 2018. But he arrives in South Africa with his bat doing all talking after a highly successful comeback amid plenty of derision from or crowds. He was chosen as Australia's best player of 2019.

“David loves that banter that comes from crowd and it sort of gets him into game,” Finch said.