Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft sent home from South Africa tour
Written by News on 27/03/2018
Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft will be sent home from their tour of South Africa for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal, while Darren Lehmann will continue in his post as Australia head coach.
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland made the announcement at a news conference in Johannesburg, which comes four days after captain Smith and opening batsman Bancroft admitted to manipulating the ball with a foreign object during day three of the third Test in Cape Town.
Media reports had indicated Lehmann might resign from his position but Sutherland revealed the head coach had no involvement or prior knowledge of the plan to alter the condition of the ball.
Smith, the No 1 ranked Test batsman, admitted on Saturday that Australia’s ‘leadership group’ had agreed to manipulate the ball with a foreign object during the lunch break at Newlands.
Cricket Australia head of integrity Iain Roy was tasked to carry out an investigation into the events – which has caused outcry and led the country’s Prime Minister to call on the governing body to act “decisively and emphatically”.
Smith, 28, was handed a one-Test ban by the ICC and fined 100 per cent of his match fee over the incident while Bancroft was fined 75 per cent of his match fee and awarded three demerit points.
It was revealed on Tuesday that Smith stepped down as captain of IPL side Rajasthan Royals ahead of the tournament starting on April 7.
South Africa lead 2-1 in the four-match Test series ahead of the encounter in Johannesburg, live on Sky Sports Cricket.
More to follow…
(c) Sky News 2018: Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft sent home from South Africa tour
