ICC ignores ‘leadership group’ involvement in scandal

The International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday showed no desire to further research Australian captain Steven Smith’s confession that the team’s “leadership group” had been responsible for their illegal efforts to tamper with the ball, instead limiting their disciplinary action to just the skipper and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft.

The ICC banned Smith for one game and gave him a fine of 100% of his match fee, while Bancroft lost 75% of his match fee and was given three demerit points, one less than is required for a suspension.

Cricket Australia had already announced yesterday morning, shortly before play began, that Smith and vice-captain David Warner had stepped aside from their official duties for the rest of the Newlands game.

That would appear to be an admission of guilt on behalf of Australian cricket that Warner was involved in the plan to tamper with the ball.

However, the ICC has chosen to ignore that as well as Smith’s well-publicised comments in his confessional press conference on the third evening about the “leadership group” being involved in the ball-tampering plan.

Bancroft can consider himself fortunate to not be banned and match referee Andy Pycroft said his inexperience and contrition had counted in his favour.

“I acknowledge that Cameron has accepted responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty to the charge and apologising publicly.

“As a young player starting out in international cricket, I hope the lessons learned from this episode will strongly influence the way he plays the game during the rest of his career,” Pycroft said in the ICC statement.