PROTEAS TAKE CONTROL
Day three of third Test marred by Bancroft ball-tampering controversy
AUSTRALIA’S tour of South Africa is in free-fall. Since the tourists were victorious in the series opener at the beginning of the month, Steve Smith and his team have been under the pump.
A big defeat resulted in the second Test at Port Elizabeth, followed by a collection of statements coming out of the visiting camp that have ranged from their dissatisfaction regarding the overturn of Kagiso Rabada’s suspension to the behaviour of the fans at Newlands during this on-going third Test.
Not only did the Proteas take complete control of proceedings at Newlands, finishing on 239-4 for overall lead of 294 runs heading into the fourth day, but Australia’s captain Steve Smith was embarrassingly forced to admit that his team deliberately attempted to tamper with the condition of the ball in an orchestrated attempt to gain an advantage.
The admission came after Cameron Bancroft was charged by the International Cricket Council due to television footage clearly showing the opening batsman attempting to hide a yellow piece of tape inside his trousers.
“The leadership group talked about it and Bangers was around at the time. We spoke about it. We thought it was a possible way to get an advantage. ”
Bancroft would not have been part of the “leadership group” Smith refers to, having played just eight Tests, with the possible core of senior players like Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and David Warner most likely responsible for the actions out in the middle.
The young opening batsman claimed he was not coerced into the committing the offence, claiming he was merely “at the wrong place at the wrong time”.
“I don’t think it was that way,” Bancroft said. “I was in the vicinity. I was obviously nervous about it. I sit before you today. I am not proud of what has happened. I was unfortunately at the wrong place at the wrong time. I am accountable for my actions.
“I have to live with the consequences and the damages it does to my own reputation.”
However, with Aiden Markam firstly contributing 84 and then AB de Villiers taking the game further away from the Aussies with another rapid half-century, Smith’s team were becoming increasingly desperate for a breakthrough, which led to the visiting captain and his team sinking to an all-time low.
“We saw this game as such an important game, an opportunity. We obviously saw the ball reverse swinging quite a lot in this series. Our ball just didn’t look like it was going to go,” Smith said. “This is the first time it has happened. We will move on from this. I am embarrassed. The boys in the sheds are embarrassed. I feel for Cam (Bancroft) as well.”
The ICC are also yet to disclose details of the levels of the charge, along with the demerit points attached to it.