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Durham justify decision to name Cameron Bancroft captain

Wednesday 27 March 2019 11:38, UK

Cameron Bancroft of Western Australia fields during day three of the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Western Australia at Bankstown Oval on February 25, 2019 in Sydney, Australia.
Image: Cameron Bancroft in the field for Western Australia earlier this year

Durham director of cricket Marcus North has defended the decision to name Aussie batsman Cameron Bancroft the new captain of the county.

Bancroft will join Durham in the summer and become captain of their County Championship and One-Day Cup sides, following Paul Collingwood's retirement.

But the decision has attracted criticism, coming soon after Bancroft returned to cricket in December, following the nine-month ban he was handed for his part in last year's ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

Cameron Bancroft
Image: Bancroft reportedly became a qualified yoga teacher during his time away from cricket

But North - who is also an Aussie - told The Guardian: "I understand there will be opinions about Cameron being in a leadership role.

"We're not condoning the issue he had in South Africa with the Australian team in any way.

"But this is a guy that I've known before and I've seen him grow up.

"And I am in constant contact with people I trust a lot in Australian cricket. There was a huge amount of thought and information went into that decision.

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"This is a guy that, like Steve Smith and David Warner (the other Aussies to be banned), through that terrible decision that they made, have suffered.

"Through experience, people learn and grow.

Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith face the media after being accused of ball-tampering in March 2018
Image: Bancroft and then Australia captain Steve Smith face the media after being accused of ball-tampering in March 2018

"Through the experience, Cameron has had at a young age and coming out of that experience now, well, is there a better person to speak to our young players about how to play the game?"

North suggested that the captaincy role was vacant because other players had turned down the job in order to concentrate on their own careers.

He added: "Though various things that happened at the club, Durham lost their succession plan in recent years.

"Someone like Cameron will lead by example, will play in every game, you know the qualities he's going to add.

"I want to see the best of Cameron Bancroft."

However, if Bancroft is a big success with Durham he could yet feature in this summer's Ashes series.

North added: "If he comes to Durham and scores heavily, there's no reason Cameron can't continue that run and get back in the Australia squad."

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