Steve Smith and David Warner have been banned by Cricket Australia for a year for their involvement in the ball tampering scandal, which, it has been confirmed, involved the use of sandpaper to rough up the ball.
Cameron Bancroft, the perpetrator who said he had used tape as part of the plot, was given a nine-month ban.
David Warner has also been banned for life from any team leadership positions such as captain or vice-captain. For Smith and Bancroft, this ban will apply for a period of two years, “conditional on acceptance by fans and the public, form and authority among the playing group.”
“As indicated, Cricket Australia will provide more details of an independent review into the conduct and culture of our Australian men’s team in due course.”
The charge sheets
Steve Smith
(a) knowledge of a potential plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball;
(b) failure to take steps to seek to prevent the development and implementation of that plan;
(c) directing that evidence of attempted tampering be concealed on the field of play;
(d) seeking to mislead Match Officials and others regarding Bancroft’s attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball; and
(e) misleading public comments regarding the nature, extent and participants of the plan
David Warner
(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;
(c) provision of advice to a junior player regarding how a ball could be artificially altered including demonstrating how it could be done;
(d) failure to take steps to seek to prevent the development and/or implementation of the plan;
(e) failure to report his knowledge of the plan at any time prior to or during the match;
(f) misleading Match Officials through the concealment of his knowledge of and involvement in the plan; and
(g) failure to voluntarily report his knowledge of the plan after the match
Cameron Bancroft
(a) knowledge of the existence of, and being party to, the plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper;
(b) carrying out instructions to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball;
(c) seeking to conceal evidence of his attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball;
(d) seeking to mislead Match Officials and others regarding his attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball; and
(e) misleading public comments regarding the nature, extent, implementation and participants of the plan