Durham sign ball-tamperer Bancroft

The Durham chief executive, Tim Bostock, has insisted the club have signed “an outstanding young man” after handing disgraced Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft a chance to rehabilitate himself.

The 25-year-old will be the club’s overseas player for 2019 after completing a ban following his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal which rocked cricket this year.

Coming at the end of a week during which Durham and England allrounder Ben Stokes had been acquitted of affray, it left Durham in the spotlight, but well aware of its responsibilities.

Bostock said: “It’s not a responsibility we take lightly at all. He is an outstanding cricketer – that’s the first thing – he’s actually an outstanding young man. I have been living in Australia for a period of time, I’ve got lots of Australian friends, the guys in our changing room, they know him.

“We have done some due diligence around Cameron as a character. It’s very important that they fit into the dressing room and they fit into the Durham way of doing things.

“He’s an incredibly professional guy, hard-working, and I think he will set the right example for the younger guys, as well as some of the older guys as well.

“The time he’s had off has been very sobering for him. He certainly realises he’s made a huge mistake.”