Australian cricketers who smoke: Australian cricketers Shaun Marsh and Jackson Bird were seen smoking in public during celebrations after their Ashes triumph over England.
Both Marsh and Bird drew heavy criticism for smoking in public. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who finished 2017 as the highest wicket taker in Tests, also appeared to be holding a cigarette when he arrived for the party.
Health experts were not impressed as Australia’s cricketers puffed away in public. “In this day and age, why would elite sportsmen (a) still be smoking, and (b) doing so in a public space when children around Australia, teens around Australia, young men, seek to emulate them?” Quit Victoria director Dr Sarah White told Heidi Murphy. “Smoking is not illegal â€æ it happens to be the leading cause of preventable deaths and disease in Australia, but sadly not illegal.”
“It’s not ideal. But boys were just there trying to have a good time. Trying to celebrate what’s been a great couple of months and that’s part of playing cricket for your country and winning big series,” he told Channel 9’s Today Show. “You need to celebrate your success and the boys had a really good time and those kind of things coming out aren’t ideal but you can’t do much about it.”
Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa said he did not see what all the fuss was about as there were no children present at the venue when Marsh and Bird lit up. “I don’t think there was any kids at the [bar] Coogee Pavillion,” he said.
“I don’t think they were doing it on purpose in front of any kids either.
Marsh and Bird are not the first Australian cricketers to be clicked smoking in public.
Shane Warne, back in 1999, had been offered a $200,000 contract by a nicotine substitute company named Nicorette to give up smoking. However, a mere days before the end of a four-month deal, Warne was seen lighting up at a bar in Barbados.
Back in May 2011, Warne, then captain of Rajasthan Royals, was caught on camera puffing a cigarette inside the airport premises in Indore. Soon after deplaning, the legendary leg-spinner had a quick smoked before boarding a bus to go to the team hotel.