Smith's Crew in SA

[mateinone]

Why severely punish Australians for ball-tampering when those from other sides (including Captains du Plessis and Atherton) have only got wet lettuce leaf punishments? I think this incident is exposing a deep underlying dislike of Smith (and Warner), why should they be treated differently to others that have committed the same offense previously?

Because in Australia we hate cheats in any sport. Players that dive in football, players that dive in soccer, any player that takes supplements etc.
In another country a player can be banned for steroid abuse and the media will beat it up as people being out to discredit the country, not in this country.
In another country an athlete could come back from a 2 year steroid suspension and the public is very unlikely to take to them, because they are a cheat. They are systematically cheating.

We as a country should hold our cricketers to high standards, they are the role models setting the standard for our kids and the next generation.
It should be clear that if you cannot treat you privilege to play for Australia with the respect it requires, then you should not play for it and you absolutely should not lead it.

We don't want to become accepting of cheats, we want to lead the hollering at those that do cheat, because we wouldn't do that. We win, but we win fair.
If Australia take a wet lettuce leaf approach to sanctions against this crop, they ask Australian's to change their ideas on how they view our sportsmen and to change to a "win at any costs" approach, because the penalties are slight anyway.

CA has an obligation to treat these players the way THEY believe cricketers from any country should be treated, not the way they would just want the opposition to be treated.
If we preach higher ideals, then these penalties from CA must be severe and the leaders must fall.