Have utmost respect for Smith, clarifies Starc

SYDNEY: Relationships within the Australian Test team were “strained” by the Newlands ball tampering scandal but “remain very much intact”, fast bowler Mitchell Starc has said in clarifying his reported comments at a business forum here this week.

Starc added further context to his comments about the key press conference following the revelation of attempts to use a foreign object to tamper with the ball in Cape Town.

“Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of attending a ‘Women in Banking and Finance’ forum in Sydney with my wife Alyssa,” Starc said in a statement on his website.

“My comments at the forum were provided in the context of a particular topic, as it related to being honest and authentic in delivering a message.”

Starc said that he retained the “utmost respect” for Smith, and looked forward to playing alongside him, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft once their bans elapse.

“I continue to have the utmost respect for Steve Smith as captain, team-mate and friend and I look forward to having him back in our great game soon,” he said.