Disgraced Australia skipper Steve Smith and senior batsman David Warner were on Wednesday banned from toplevel cricket for a year over a cheating scandal that has rocked the sport and dragged their side’s reputation through the mud. Both players have also been ejected from this year’s IPL, losing contracts worth nearly $2 million each.
A statement from Cricket Australia (CA) said Smith and Warner had been suspended from “all international and domestic cricket” while opening batsman Cameron Bancroft has been banned for nine months over the ball-tampering incident during the third Test in South Africa.

A Cricket Australia (CA) spokesman said the players could still play at club level in Australia or in other countries. The CA statement said Smith and Bancroft would not be considered for team leadership positions until a minimum of 12 months after the end of their suspensions. All three players will also be required to undertake 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket.
CA chief executive James Sutherland said: “I am satisfied that the sanctions in this case properly reflect a balance between the need to protect the integrity and reputation of the game and the need to maintain the possibility of redemption for the individuals involved, all of whom have learned difficult lessons through these events.” He said the national body would provide details of an independent review “into the conduct and culture of our Australian men’s team in due course”.
‘Warner will not captain Oz in future’
Declared the ‘plotter-in-chief’ in the balltampering scandal, David Warner will never be considered for captaincy after serving his oneyear ban, Cricket Australia has clarified. Following CA’s investigation into the infamous incident in Cape Town, it has come to light that Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft knew what they were getting into but it was Warner who developed the “plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball”. Smith still has a slim chance to captain Australia again but Warner will not be considered at all. “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,” said CA. “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 added.

Lehmann cleared after cover-up claims
Under-fire Australia coach Darren Lehmann had no knowledge of a ball-tampering plot by his two most senior players and allegations that he then led a cover-up are false, CA said. Former players have been calling for Lehmann’s head after television footage showed him sending a message out onto the field before Bancroft dropped the piece of sandpaper he was clandestinely using to rough up the ball down his trousers. But Sutherland said Lehmann was as surprised as the thousands of spectators in Cape Town when images showed Bancroft cheating.
“In Darren’s defence, I do want to clarify that matter,” Sutherland said on what Lehmann told 12th man Peter Handscomb via walky talky before he ran on the field to pass the coach’s message onto Bancroft. “He sent a message to say: ‘What the hell is going on?’ He didn’t use ‘hell’, he used another word. Darren wasn’t involved and didn’t know of the plan.” Sutherland also finally conceded “cheating” is an appropriate word to use to describe the scandal. AGENCIES
COACH WANTS FORGIVENESS
Johannesburg: Australia coach Darren Lehmann has apologised to the public and called for forgiveness for the “grave mistake”
made by Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. He promised a change in approach to the game from Australia, including boorish behaviour and playing contrary to the spirit of the game.
An emotional Lehmann said the banned players, were “not bad people” and called for them to be given a second chance.
“What happened on Saturday is not something that is acceptable from the Australian cricket team,” Lehmann told the Australian media. “There is a human side of this. These are young men and I hope people will give them a second chance. Their health is extremely important to us.”
CRICKET AUSTRALIA’S CHARGES IN FULL
STEVE SMITH
• Knew of a potential plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball
• Failed to take steps to seek to prevent the development and implementation of that plan
• Directed that evidence of attempted tampering be concealed on the field of play
• Sought to mislead match officials and others regarding Bancroft’s attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball
• Made misleading public comments regarding the nature, extent and participants of the plan
DAVID WARNER
• Developed a plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball
• Instructed a junior player to take steps to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper
• Provided advice to a junior player regarding how a ball could be artificially altered including demonstrating how it could be done
• Failed to take steps to seek to prevent the development and/or implementation of the plan
• Failed to report his knowledge of the plan at any time prior to or during the match
• Misled match officials through the concealment of his knowledge of and involvement in the plan
• Failed to voluntarily report his knowledge of the plan after the match
CAMERON BANCROFT
• Knew of the existence of, and was being party to, the plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper
• Carried out instructions to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball
• Sought to conceal evidence of his attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball
• Sought to mislead match officials and others regarding his attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball
• Made misleading public comments regarding the nature, extent, implementation and participants of the plan
WHAT WILL THE THREE MISS?
• The fourth Test against South Africa, and five ODIs and one Twenty20 on a mini tour of England from on 13 June.
• Under the Future Tours Programme, Australia could play India, SA and Lanka between Oct 2018 and Jan 2019.
• They will all be eligible to play in the 2019 World Cup from 30 May to 14 July.
• The next Ashes series is also scheduled for the summer of 2019.
• Smith and 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. Warner will not be considered for team leadership in the future.

Article Courtesy – Times of India of 29.03.18