Cricket Australia CEO Kevin Roberts says the organisation is considering recommendations to lift the suspensions of the trio sanctioned for their role in the ball-tampering scandal.
Steve Smith and David Warner, former captain and vice-captain, still have five months to run on their 12-month bans, while batsman Cameron Bancroft has two months left on his nine-month suspension.
Bancroft used sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball in the Newlands Test in South Africa in March – a scandal that led to a widespread condemnation of Australia’s team ethics and culture.
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Steve Smith (R) and Cameron Bancroft speaks during a press conference in Cape Town, March 24, 2018[/caption]
The Longstaff Review identified failures at a governance level which prompted the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) to claim that the bans should be shortened or rescinded in the wake of receiving “independent verification that CA’s system and culture were contributing factors.”
[breakout id=”0″][/breakout]ACA president Greg Dyer added last week: “We note that the Board of CA has both the power and in our view the moral obligation to do so. My message to Cricket Australia is a simple one: these contrite men have been punished enough. Let them play. I add that the ACA will be relentless in pursuing this end.”
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David Peever stood down from his role with Cricket Australia last week[/caption]
Roberts, who replaced David Peever as CEO last week after the review was released, concedes the proposal will be discussed by the board.
[breakout id=”1″][/breakout]“The ACA’s submission around the player sanctions was received by the board a few days ago,” Roberts said on Wednesday. “It was addressed by the board rather than to me or management, so it’s not for me to comment on a board matter other than to say the board will be respecting that submission and giving it due consideration.”
