Australia's prime minister called for an end to sledging in cricket today, saying it was "right out of control" as he urged the sport to clean up its image amid a ball-tampering scandal.
Malcolm Turnbull described the cheating crisis in which captain Steve Smith admitted to masterminding a plot to change the ball's condition during the third Test against South Africa on Saturday as a "shocking affront to Australia".
He demanded Cricket Australia act decisively in investigating the incident. The governing body is expected to provide an update tomorrow.
Turnbull added that authorities needed to crack down on sledging -- verbal abuse involving players on both sides -- if it wanted cricket to "once again (be) held up as a role model".
"I think there has to be the strongest action taken against this practice of sledging," he told reporters in Canberra. "It has got right out of control ... it should have no place (in cricket).
"The game of cricket ... should be one that once again is held up as a role model."
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content