Warner won’t captain Australia again Six words that saved Oz coach Lehmann’s job
Warner plotted ball tampering, says Cricket Australia; twoyear captaincy ban on Smith
NEW DELHI: David Warner and Steve Smith were handed exemplary punishments by Cricket Australia (CA) on Wednesday for their involvement in ball tampering during the third Australia-south Africa Test in Cape Town.
Warner and Smith were handed year-long bans from ‘all international and domestic cricket’, while Cameron Bancroft was given a nine-month ban for executing the ball tampering.
The CA also banned Smith from captaining Australia for the next two years, while Warner will never be considered for leading the side.
“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,” a statement from CA said.
CULPRIT-IN-CHIEF
While Smith was charged with “having knowledge of a potential plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball,” the Australian cricket body confirmed that it was Warner who hatched the plan to tamper the ball in the Cape Town Test.
“David Warner was 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,” the CA added in its statement. The controversy around Smith and Warner exploded on day three of the Cape Town Test last week, when Bancroft was caught using yellow tape to alter the condition of the ball before attempting to hide it in his trousers.
CAN PLAY CLUB CRICKET
The three cricketers have, however, been encouraged to play club 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,” the CA said.
All the players have sevenday time to appeal against the sanctions. “If the player disputes either the charge or sanction/s, there is a hearing before a CA Commissioner. The player may appeal the outcome of that hearing, and if so there is a hearing before an Appeals Commissioner (who is selected from the remaining CA Commissioners),” the statement added. JOHANNESBURG: Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said Wednesday that coach Darren Lehmann’s furious walkie-talkie exchange with 12th man Peter Handscomb was the crucial evidence that distanced him from the team’s ball-tampering plot.
Captain Steve Smith, vicecaptain David Warner and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft have all been sent home and banned from top-level cricket for up a year each for their part in the incident, but Lehmann has been allowed to stay in his role.
Television footage of the scandal-hit third Test in Cape Town showed Lehmann relaying a message down to Handscomb after cameras caught Bancroft attempting to alter the ball’s condition with what Australian officials have said was sandpaper.
“I want to clarify that specific point. He sent a message to say ‘what the hell is going on’, except he didn’t use the word ‘hell’,” Sutherland told reporters at the Australia team hotel. “(Cricket Australia’s head of integrity) Iain Roy in his investigation found that to be the fact.
“I am satisfied that Darren Lehmann was not involved and didn’t know anything about the plan,” Sutherland added.
Sutherland said the probe appeared to show it had been an “isolated incident” had been a one-off, but he added: “If there are any credible allegations or suggestions to the contrary we have an obligation to investigate them.”
LEHMANN APOLOGISES
Lehmann apologised to the public and called for forgiveness for the “grave mistake” made by Smith, Warner and Bancroft.
An emotional Lehmann, cleared of any wrongdoing by a Cricket Australia investigation, told reporters that the banned players were “not bad people” and called for them to be given a second chance.
The coach also said the team would need to improve their behaviour on and off the pitch in order to win back fan respect after Bancroft was caught tampering with the ball in the 322-run third test defeat by South Africa at Newlands.
REALITY CHECK
South Africa batsman Hashim Amla said the controversy “gives every team in the world a reality check”. He said the events of Cape Town should lead cricketers to ask: “What kind of cricket do you want to play? It has probably given the ICC a lot more headaches and the opportunity now is for the governing bodies to show us, where is this line?”