SMITH, WARNER, BANCROFT DROPPED FROM SA SERIES
Aussie trio to return home, faces strong punishment from Board; Paine to lead in final Test
NEW DELHI: Skipper Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner and Cameron Bancroft have been suspended by Cricket Australia for breaching the Board’s Code of Conduct in the ball-tampering row during the Cape Town Test against South Africa.
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland announced Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw and Joe Burns would be flown in as replacements while the trio of Warner, Smith and Bancroft would be sent home. Tim Paine will officially captain Australia in the Johannesburg Test starting Friday.
Addressing a press conference in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Sutherland said Smith, Warner and Bancroft have been officially reported for breaching article 2.3.5 of Cricket Australia’s Code of Conduct and sanctions on them would be announced on Wednesday which will be significant. “This issue goes beyond the technical nature of the offences and various codes of conduct. It is about the integrity and reputation of Australian Cricket and Australian sport,” Sutherland said.
Preliminary findings of an internal probe by Cricket Australia’s head of integrity Iain Roy have confirmed that prior knowledge of the incident in Cape Town was confined to only the three players reported.
LEHMANN TO STAY
However, chief coach Darren Lehmann has been given a clean chit for the time being. Sutherland brushed aside media reports which said Lehmann has resigned.
“The key finding in the investigation was that prior knowledge limited to just three players. Darren Lehmann will continue to coach the side,” Sutherland said.
Bancroft, allegedly under the instruction of Smith, was caught on camera using sticky tape to pick up granules of dirt off the pitch to rub on the ball in order to generate reverse swing.
The Australian opener admitted he panicked when he saw close-up images of himself on the big screen, leading him to try to conceal the tape in his underwear, an image shown around the cricketing world and reproduced on websites and numerous newspapers.
The touring side has called up opening batsman Matthew Renshaw to the squad that has arrived in Johannesburg ahead of Friday’s fourth and final test at The Wanderers. South Africa lead the series 2-1.