Steve Smith slammed Glenn Maxwell's comments about Matthew Wade as "very disrespectful" as the Australian captain and fellow team leaders fined the mercurial all-rounder an undisclosed amount for his stunning remarks on Thursday.
Maxwell - who - unsuccessfully sought a move from Victoria to NSW during the winter criticised his Bushrangers captain Wade on Thursday for the latter's decision to bat above Maxwell in Victoria's Sheffield Shield team this year, which Maxwell said had made his task to return to the Australian Test team harder.
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Lehmann dodges Maxwell/Wade questions
Australia coach Darren Lehmann dodges questions around Glenn Maxwell's comments about teammate Matthew Wade.
Maxwell's comments have been widely scorned, and Smith added his name to the list of critics on Saturday as he spoke ahead of the first Chappell-Hadlee one-day international against New Zealand at the SCG on Sunday.
"Everyone was disappointed in his comments, I've expressed that to him myself, spoke to the team," Smith said.
"I guess one of our values is respect, and having respect for your teammates and your opposition, and your fans, your media. I thought what he said was very disrespectful to a teammate and his Victorian captain.
"So the leadership group got together and we decided to fine Glenn, we thought that was a sufficient punishment, so we've gone down that path."
Smith said that Maxwell and Wade had cleared the air.
"Wadey was obviously pretty disappointed as well, like all of the other players.
![Fined: Glenn Maxwell](/web/20161205103451im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/2/q/o/z/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gt3879.png/1480824212532.jpg)
"We've moved on from that now. It's about focusing on our game tomorrow."
Despite his comments, Maxwell will still be considered for selection.
"The selectors will weigh up what we think's the best team for tomorrow," Smith said.
Should he play on Sunday, the SCG clash will be Maxwell's first ODI in more than five months after he was dumped from the Australian squad following a lean tour of the West Indies mid-year.
Smith said Maxwell was well aware that he had erred. "I think he was a little bit shattered by what he said," Smith said.
I thought what he said was very disrespectful to a teammate and his Victorian captain
Steve Smith
"I don't think he thought the words came out the way they actually did."
Asked whether he would like to see Maxwell join his state, NSW star Smith said that was an issue for months down the track.
"I'm not really concerned with that right now, it's about getting through this season and if things happen like that at the end of the season we'll deal with that then, but my focus is purely on this one-day series at the moment."
Maxwell was controversially omitted from Victoria's Shield opener, but batted below Wade after regaining his spot in the state team. Wade recalled to the Test side for the third Test against South Africa last month, and Maxwell said he had been denied the best chance of doing likewise because of his batting position.
"I think probably batting below the wicketkeeper is also a bit painful as well. I think the wicketkeeper should be batting at seven unless you're trying to squeeze an extra bowler into your line-up," Maxwell said.
Questioned why Wade was batting above him, Maxwell said: "I think because he's captain and he chooses the batting order."
Australian coach Darren Lehmann scoffed at Maxwell's comments when asked about them on Friday, suggesting that the Victorian hadn't been selected because of a lack of big scores.
"Are you going to pick a bloke who hasn't made a hundred in two years?" Lehmann said.
However former Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson threw his support by Maxwell on Saturday, criticising the decision to fine the 28-year-oild.
"A fine, really!!" Johnson tweeted.
"Should be batting in front of a wicketkeeper considering he is a batsman.
"He was only being honest right??"
NZ hold the Chappell-Hadlee trophy, having won a series at home early this year.
Australia will also relinquish their No. 1 world ranking in ODIs should they lose the series 3-0. Smith said however that such prospect was not a major consideration for his team.
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