Bancroft served a nine-month suspension for his involvement in Australia’s ball-tampering scandal in their Test series against South Africa last year, but was nonetheless signed by Durham for the 2019 campaign to serve as their overseas player
James Franklin has insisted that Cameron Bancroft was the “obvious choice” to captain Durham in the Specsavers County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup this season.
Bancroft served a nine-month suspension for his involvement in Australia’s ball-tampering scandal in their Test series against South Africa last year, but was nonetheless signed by Durham for the 2019 campaign to serve as their overseas player.
The retirement of Paul Collingwood left a leadership void at Emirates Riverside amid a number of other changes at the club. Franklin, who arrived as Lead High Performance Coach in February, has revealed that he along with Director of Cricket Marcus North considered players currently in the squad. However, both men quickly came to the decision that Bancroft was the best candidate for the role, despite his high-profile error.
He said: “When I arrived I sat down with Marcus and a couple of others and we started to work through the potential candidates. There were some local guys that we spoke about, but we felt that the timing was not right for them as players. It’s not to say that they can’t in the future.
Bancroft's first match will come against Sussex on April 11
“We spoke about Cameron and all the conversations kept on coming back to Cameron being the right fit for what we wanted out of a leader. I’m sure he’s had some pretty tough times over the last year. He made a pretty big mistake, but we’re all human, we all make mistakes.
“It just so happened that his was on a very public level. He has learned a lot and has come back into cricket strongly, starting with the Perth Scorchers and more recently with Western Australia in first-class cricket. He’s extremely excited about joining up with Durham and I know he’s excited about captaining the team. He’s an experienced first-class cricketer, he’s got international pedigree. It was a decision that kept coming back on itself that Cameron was the obvious choice.”
Bancroft will arrive in the north east later than expected after attending an awards ceremony with his home club Western Australia. Although he will have time to bed in behind-the-scenes in Durham’s County Championship opener against Derbyshire before leading the team in their first home match of the campaign against Sussex at Emirates Riverside.
Franklin is confident that the 26-year-old has the character to cope with the anticipated negative reaction he will receiving on his arrival – both in respect to the captaincy as well as his batting.
Head coach Franklin says the Australian was the "obvious choice" as captain
He added: “Let’s face it. He’s an Australian turning up in England in an Ashes and a World Cup year. After all the stuff he’s gone through, he’s always going to cop it this year in county cricket.
“I don’t see the captaincy as a burden for him. If anything it’s going to be a great distraction for him to focus in on the group and his own game. All of the opinions of the spectators just becomes white noise for him.
“The guys are excited about him turning up, there’s a little bit of frustration that Western Australia are holding him back for an awards evening. I know he is frustrated by that but he has to do the right thing by them.
“He’ll turn up through that Derbyshire game and be able to spend some time with the guys, get to know them and start to form his own opinions and ideas about what he wants to do. As much as myself and Marcus along with the other coaches put plans in place, it’s important that Cameron has his own ideas because ultimately he’s the one that takes them over the line on to the field.”
Copy courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network
Posted by Mr Lloyd Birch on 05/04/2019 at 15:47
Bancroft is a CHEAT. Caught hook line and sinker. End of. Shouldn't even be playing the game let alone be captain of a county!!! I would not be happy as a player seeing this convicted cheat in the dressing room. Let alone lead!! Who's volunteered to carry the sandpaper for Durham?
Posted by Irene Wickenden on 05/04/2019 at 14:21
Sorry ,but once a cheat !!!! I really don't understand the thinking behind this decision. It doesn't send much of a message to all the young players out there !!!!