WBBL 2019/20: Emily Smith banned for releasing Hobart Hurricanes' playing XI before the game with a social media post

What's the story?

The 24-year-old Australian Women’s cricketer, Emily Smith has received a one-year ban with nine months suspended, after she disclosed the playing XI of Hobart Hurricanes ahead of their match against Sydney Thunder in the Women’s Big Bash League. She had leaked the Hurricanes' match squad via her Instagram account just an hour before the toss.

The background

Emily Smith was an integral part of the Hobart team in the ongoing Women’s Big Bash League tournament. She had kept wickets for them in all the earlier matches and she was supposed to do the same in Hurricanes’ approaching fixtures. However, an unprofessional mistake from her end has earned her a suspension from Cricket Australia.

The heart of the matter

JUST IN: A social media post has seen Hobart's Emily Smith banned for the remainder of the @WBBL season: https://t.co/2YDTF1g4oc pic.twitter.com/hvcB3nTlXr

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 18, 2019

As per a release from cricket.com.au, Smith had breached Cricket Australia's anti-corruption code Article 2.3.2 which bars the players from -

"Disclosing Inside Information to any person (with or without Reward) where the Participant knew or might reasonably have known that such disclosure might lead to the information being used in relation to Betting in relation to any Match or Event."

The wicket-keeper batswoman had shot a video in the restricted Player and Match Official Area (PMOA) on November 2 before putting it up on her personal account. The Tasmania-born female cricketer has accepted all the charges against her.

What's next?

Emily will no longer be able to take part in the Women's Big Bash League and this ban has also ruled her out from the upcoming Women's National Cricket League tournament.