'Anger palpable' over Cricket Australia's sexting response

Board members met on Monday to discuss Paine's resignation from the top job after a series of lewd text messages were released involving a former Cricket Tasmania employee and the Australian wicket-keeper.

Cricket Tasmania chairman Andrew Gaggin said the board "unanimously expressed" its support for Paine.

"In conversations I have had in recent days it is clear that the anger amongst the Tasmanian cricket community and general public is palpable," Gaggin said.

"Tim Paine has been a beacon for Australian cricket over the past four years and instrumental in salvaging the reputation of the national team after the calamity of Cape Town.

"Yet, at a time when CA should have supported Tim, he was evidently regarded as dispensable.

"The treatment afforded to the Australian Test captain by Cricket Australia has been appalling, and the worst since Bill Lawry over 50 years ago."

Paine announced on Friday he would step down from the national role, effective immediately.

The Cricket Tasmania board reaffirmed its view that Paine should not have been put in a position to step down over the matter that occurred some four years ago.

"Paine should not have been put in a position where he felt the need to resign over an incident that was determined by an independent inquiry at the time to not be a breach of the Code of Conduct," he said.

"And was a consensual and private exchange that occurred between two mature adults and was not repeated.

"Cricket Tasmania will continue to support Tim on and off the field, and is very pleased to see his impressive return in the Second XI game Tasmania is currently playing against South Australia."