Steve Smith, David Warner banned for 12 months

Captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft have all been sent home and banned from top-level cricket for their part in the incident.

As a result Smith and Bancroft have been ruled out of consideration for team leadership positions for a further 12 months following their bans, while Warner has been banned from the leadership group for life. “The word cheating is appropriate in the circumstances”, Sutherland said.

All three individuals can lodge appeals. “He played the game with great integrity”, he explained.”…as I’ve got older, and the more people I have spoken to since retirement, I have come to realise, ‘Shivers, no one really gives a stuff about my runs now!'”, he added.

Sutherland said Cricket Australia had arrived at their conclusions after an exhaustive process.

“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 hard lessons through these events”, Sutherland said. Today they have travelled home to Australia.

Sutherland and his governing body, under pressure from sponsors and in the midst of negotiations over a new broadcast deal, know they have plenty of work to do over the coming months to restore the image of the sport in Australia.

3- The trio are banned from all worldwide cricket and domestic cricket in Australia.

Australia must overcome significant batting changes at the top of their order and the shame of a ball-tampering scandal if they are to avoid another piece of unwanted history against South Africa in the fourth test at The Wanderers starting on Friday.

Cricket Australia chairman David Peever confirmed in the statement that the findings of the investigation will be made public on Wednesday Australian time (Tuesday evening SA time).

It’s believed several players in the Australian team were not aware of the tampering plot until damning footage of Cameron Bancroft scrubbing the ball with yellow tape appeared on the big screen at the ground. “I think they’re very sad, disappointed and remorseful for what has happened”.

In the first test in Durban, Warner become involved in an off-field fracas with South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, and in the following game fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was cited for nudging Smith with his shoulder after capturing his wicket.

However, a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official told Cricketnext earlier in the day that there was no question of Smith and Warner featuring in the cash-rich league if the duo is slapped with bans by the CA.