Australian Tour of South Africa

[MW]

Looking forward to other countries following suit with similar bans when their players get caught ball tampering

[Jim05]

Would love to know the full story

Gut feel tells me Smith maybe a slightly more innocent party in this than we know but who knows really.

Same gut feel tells me Bancroft was more than just wrong place wrong time

Except that respected cricket writer Mike Coward has said Bancroft has earnt a reputation in SS circles for ball tampering

Really? Any evidence on it?

No idea but he is well connected and has a good reputation amongst his peers. Bancroft was also caught putting sugar in his pocket during the 5th Ashes test so it would suggest to me this isn’t his first time and he isn’t the poor misguided junior player many are proclaiming

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

anyone think the bowlers and bowling coaches may have known something as well? It seems strange that a couple of batsmen hatched this plan without consulting the bowling group.

[tigerpie]

I think we can accept that it may have been part of a conversation.
But not taken seriously except by the dumb oled missing vice captain.
I just can't see any Australian captain allowing it?

[bennymacca]

Looking forward to other countries following suit with similar bans when their players get caught ball tampering

the bans are clearly more than just mere ball tampering.

for starters it has been confirmed that it was sandpaper that was used. then they all lied about it.

[bennymacca]

Cricket Australia Statement: Following the announcements made yesterday in Johannesburg, the Cricket Australia Board has met again today to consider the report of the investigation into the incident in Cape Town.

The key finding from the investigation was that prior knowledge of the incident was confined to three players, Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

Key findings:

Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft have been charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct, namely that their conduct:

(a) was contrary to the spirit of the game;
(b) was unbecoming of a representative or official;
(c) is or could be harmful to the interests of cricket; and/or
(d) did bring the game of cricket into disrepute.
In respect of the individual players concerned, Cricket Australia advises the following:


STEVE SMITH

Charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct based on:

(a) knowledge of a potential plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball;
(b) failure to take steps to seek to prevent the development and implementation of that plan;
(c) directing that evidence of attempted tampering be concealed on the field of play;
(d) seeking to mislead Match Officials and others regarding Bancroft’s attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball; and
(e) misleading public comments regarding the nature, extent and participants of the plan

DAVID WARNER

Charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct based on:

(a) development of a plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball;
(b) instruction to a junior player to carry out a plan to take steps to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper;
(c) provision of advice to a junior player regarding how a ball could be artificially altered including demonstrating how it could be done;
(d) failure to take steps to seek to prevent the development and/or implementation of the plan;
(e) failure to report his knowledge of the plan at any time prior to or during the match;
(f) misleading Match Officials through the concealment of his knowledge of and involvement in the plan; and
(g) failure to voluntarily report his knowledge of the plan after the match

CAMERON BANCROFT

Charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct based on:

(a) knowledge of the existence of, and being party to, the plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper;
(b) carrying out instructions to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball;
(c) seeking to conceal evidence of his attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball;
(d) seeking to mislead Match Officials and others regarding his attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball; and
(e) misleading public comments regarding the nature, extent, implementation and participants of the plan


SUMMARY OF SANCTIONS

The range of sanctions available to Cricket Australia under Article 2.3.5 are extensive. The CA Board determined sanctions that would be appropriate in each player’s case, following their review of the report.
The Board has considered the recommendations and determined that the following sanctions will be offered to each player in accordance with the CA Code of Conduct process

· Steve Smith Suspension of 12 months from all international and domestic cricket
· David Warner Suspension of 12 months from all international and domestic cricket
· Cameron Bancroft Suspension of 9 months from all international and domestic cricket
All three players will be permitted to play club cricket and will be encouraged to do so to maintain links with the cricket community.
In addition, all three players will be required to undertake 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket.
Leadership
Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft will not be considered for team leadership positions until a minimum of 12 months after the conclusion of their respective suspensions from international and domestic cricket. Any consideration of future leadership would be conditional on acceptance by fans and the public, form and authority among the playing group. David Warner will not be considered for team leadership positions in the future.





IT WAS SANDPAPER

By David Davutovic in JBurg

SANDPAPER has been revealed as the ball-tampering object after Steve Smith and David Warner were tonight banned for a year by Cricket Australia, with Cameron Bancroft handed a nine month sentence.

David Warner has been banned from ever leading his country after the internal CA investigation uncovered the extraordinary revelation.

Shamed captain Smith was also banned from leading Australia until 2021, two years after he is free to return to the national setup.

The trio are now suspended from all forms of cricket, leaving Smith and Warner’s lucrative ($2.4 million apiece) Indian Premier League contracts in tatters, just a week before the competition’s opening.

Bancroft was barred from captain Australia for a further 12 months upon returning on December 28 this year.

Bancroft, who was due to play County cricket, and the high-profile duo will now reassess their futures, with grade cricket the only competition they are officially allowed to play in locally.

Just hours earlier, it was announced that Warner had quit as captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad.

A shattered Smith was the first of the trio to leave the team hotel tonight in South Africa. He will front the Australian press upon his return.

Bancroft and Warner are expected to leave later in the day. It is unclear whether the players will appeal the ban, although Smith appears unlikely to.

Smith and Bancroft had an emotional embrace in the lobby of the team hotel before the fallen skipper left for the airport, as they are left to contemplate their futures.

CA boss James Sutherland will hold another press conference tonight at 9.30pm (AEDT), with coach Darren Lehmann set to front the media later tonight (AEDT), two days out from the opening day of the fourth Test.

[MW]

Looking forward to other countries following suit with similar bans when their players get caught ball tampering

the bans are clearly more than just mere ball tampering.

for starters it has been confirmed that it was sandpaper that was used. then they all lied about it.

Not the first foreign object used

[Jack]

Sandpaper used by a sandgroper

[Tony Clifton]

There was sandpaper just lying around handily?

Do we keep a stock of it on hand?

[The Dark Knight]

There was sandpaper just lying around handily?

Do we keep a stock of it on hand?

I'm guessing some might have it in their kit bag for bat repairs? Only reason you'd think why they'd have it on hand?

[Robran]

12 month ban just ain't long enough IMO

[The Dark Knight]

[Aerie]

There was sandpaper just lying around handily?

Do we keep a stock of it on hand?

Perhaps they use it during training to artificially scuff up the ball and practise batting against and bowling reverse swing?

[northerner]

Bans are absolutely spot on IMO.

What a peanut Warner is, deserves longer than Smith -

Warner was found to have been responsible for the "development of a plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball", and "instruction to a junior player to carry out a plan". The former vice-captain was also charged with providing advice to a junior player on how to tamper with the ball "including demonstrating how it could be done". Warner also misled the Newlands match officials by concealing his knowledge of and involvement in the plan and did not voluntarily report his involvement.

So bans are spot on... or not?

IMO Warner should definitely be banned for longer. As it stands Smith cops more because he also loses the captaincy.

[northerner]

Not been a fan of some of the Poms self righteous comments including Michael Vaughan. But in this tweet I think he is absolutely spot on....

Steve Smith I think is a good guy who made a huge mistake. He needed punishing but I think this is too harsh. Bancroft, who I don't know, was led astray but deserved punishing but again too harshly. The other guy I really don't care about.'

[stan]

Not been a fan of some of the Poms self righteous comments including Michael Vaughan. But in this tweet I think he is absolutely spot on....

Steve Smith I think is a good guy who made a huge mistake. He needed punishing but I think this is too harsh. Bancroft, who I don't know, was led astray but deserved punishing but again too harshly. The other guy I really don't care about.'

Seems to be a common opinion at the moment. Not alot of love for Dave.

[tigerpie]

I think the penalties are close to spot on.
I particularly like the 100 hours of community service.
Smiths penalty is the harshest as another poster said...loss of captaincy is huge!

[stan]

I think the penalties are close to spot on.
I particularly like the 100 hours of community service.
Smiths penalty is the harshest as another poster said...loss of captaincy is huge!

I believe they are a bit harsh but on the flip side the sanctions from the ICC were pathetic to say the least. Clearly the reason why this crap is so common. I mean Saint Faf has been done twice and is still captain for example.

Obviously CA have had enough of the bullshit from this current team and decided that now is the time to sort it out.

I do genuinely feel for Smith in all of this. A bad decision has cost him so much when he has some much to give. Warner is flog and we know that and I guess as long as he was making runs we seemed to tolerate that to a point, but Christ it was becoming a bit much.

Bancroft, I'm not so sure about.

[Jim05]

I think the penalties are close to spot on.
I particularly like the 100 hours of community service.
Smiths penalty is the harshest as another poster said...loss of captaincy is huge!

The 100 hours can be served by just playing at their local district club so not a huge penalty

[whufc]

They definitely deserved a ban and we can argue the length of ban forever and a day. Personally I think slightly to harsh but realistically we are all just making up 'numbers' as the precedent is far to lenient.

I really hope (especially for Smith) that CA don't just cut this guy cold turkey and provide them with the out of cricket support they require for their mental health during this period.

While the players are responsible for their actions I cant help but think the ICC's ridiculously lenient penalties have made 'ball tampering' a risk worth taken and while the CA penalties are needed they no doubt are a shock to everyone involved in cricket.

I hate to see this 'Sporting debacle' turn into a 'Sporting Tragedy', enough damage has been done to a fair few people already.

Yes they cheated, yes they have embarrassed us, yes they are a disgrace, yes they have punished significantly. Now is the time to offer the support they need of the park to rehabilitate them into every day life. There are much worse people out there in everyday life than these 3 blokes.