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Steve Smith & David Warner suspended for 12 months, Cameron Bancroft suspended for 9 months [#102]

Someone was pointing out earlier that the Walkie Talkie Guy should be brought in for questioning as well! If it gets proven would the 12th man be facing a ban as well?? for co conspiriting or something?? :)) :))
 
1 year is too much in my eyes. 9 months for bancroft sounds a little harsh too.
 
Tampering trio learn fate: reports

Steve Smith and David Warner have reportedly been banned for 12 months each their involvement in the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.

Cameron Bancroft, the third member of the trio who have been found by Cricket Australia’s internal investigation to have conspired to alter the condition of the ball at Newlands, has also been reported as being banned for nine months.

Cricket Australia is yet to confirm the sanctions off the back of the findings from the investigation into the ball-tampering incident carried out by CA Head of Integrity Iain Roy.

Yesterday, CA chief executive James Sutherland revealed the trio of Smith, Warner and Bancroft were the only members of Australia’s touring party – players or support staff – who had any knowledge of the plan to deliberately alter the condition of the ball.

Smith, Warner and Bancroft were found to have breached article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct, which relates to conduct at any time that is contrary to the spirit of the game, unbecoming of a representative, harmful to the interests of the game, or bringing the game into disrepute.

The CA Board, comprised of Chairman David Peever, Earl Eddings, Dr Bob Every, John Harnden, Tony Harrison, Jacquie Hey and Michelle Tredenick, as well as former Test players Mark Taylor and Michael Kasprowicz, convened for two-and-a-half hours on Wednesday to determine the sanctions imposed on the guilty trio.

The three sanctioned players will leave South Africa in the next 24 hours, with Matthew Renshaw, Joe Burns and Glenn Maxwell called up as their replacements.

The incident that led to the suspensions took place during South Africa's innings on Saturday afternoon when Bancroft was seen on television holding a foreign object while rubbing the ball, before hiding the object in his pocket, then inside his trousers.

As soon as the incident was shown on the venue's big screen, the player was questioned in the presence of his captain by the two on-field umpires, Richard Illingworth and Nigel Llong, who, along with third umpire Ian Gould and fourth umpire Allahudien Palekar, later charged Bancroft.

The umpires inspected the ball at that time and elected not to replace the ball and award a five-run penalty as they could not see any marks on the ball that suggested that its condition had been changed as a direct result of Bancroft's actions. The umpires, though, agreed that Bancroft's actions were likely to alter the condition of the ball and he was therefore charged.

The plan to alter the condition of the ball had been made at the lunch break on day three between senior players from Australia without the consent of the coaching staff, according to Smith.

Bancroft, who was in the vicinity of the senior players at lunch, was tasked to use the foreign item - a piece of yellow tape that was used to collect chunks of dislodged pitch - and was caught doing so.

Match referee Andy Pycroft said: "To carry a foreign object on to the field of play with the intention of changing the condition of the ball to gain an unfair advantage over your opponent is against not only the Laws, but the Spirit of the game as well.

"That said, 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."

Smith has not missed a Test since March 2013 in India, a streak of 59 matches in which he scored 23 Test centuries, was handed the Test captaincy and ascended to the top of the Test batting rankings.

He fronted the media on Saturday night and confessed his regret and part in the wrongdoing.

"Obviously, today was a big mistake on my behalf and on the leadership group's behalf as well," he said.

"But I take responsibility as the captain, I need to take control of the ship, but this is certainly something I'm not proud of and something that I hope I can learn from and come back strong from.

"I am embarrassed to be sitting here talking about this."

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/pla...r-australia-cricket-ball-tampering/2018-03-28
 
What an OTT reaction.

I've got no issue with punishing those who've done tampering, but a couple of games is sufficient. The problem I have is this grey area. You can you use your saliva, but you can't if you have a sweet in it. You can rub against your pants but you can't if you have objects on them. Umpires get involved if someone throws 1/2/3 bounces from the deep into the other wickets.
 
Those 3 were scapegoated while the other cheats in the team and management get to go scotfree, they think the general public are idiots believing this cover up.
 
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I'm sorry but it's impossible to believe that nobody else including that snake Lehmann knew about this. His reaction on the big screen, message to Handscomb, and the generally incredibly early reverse swing that the Aussie bowlers have been getting are all very questionable.

It's just simple scapegoating, that's all. Damage control until the hue and cry dies down, and then brushing everything under the carpet. As you were boys, life is beautiful.etc
 
One year is too excessive.

4 matches would have been fair.
 
One year is too excessive.

4 matches would have been fair.

I would have agreed if it was some heat of the moment thing. The fact that he planned it way ahead and executed it using a new player, makes me think this is even lighter. He should be banned for longer. He was the captain and has now tainted a young aspring cricketer carrer.
 
CA have thrown the book at Smith and Warner. They do have a right of appeal so the sentence may be revised.

Pakistani and Indian bowlers will.be doing bhangra as we speak. Pakistan play Australia for 5 ODIs in the UAE later this year so I'll be very disappointed if we don't win that now.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="pt"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I’ve woken up this morning actually gutted for Smith, Warner & Bancroft. <br><br>Yes they were involved and will be sanctioned but I’m afraid they weren’t the only ones(& I don’t think anyone else believes they were)...<br><br>I hope they get a fair trial.</p>— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/978865922193620992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">28 de março de 2018</a></blockquote>
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The amount of sympathy in this thread is disgusting, and shows exactly what is wrong with Pakistani culture.

Australia is a proud sporting nation, that prides itself on being the best. Yes, they may go overboard on sledging etc, but they never cheat. They report the likes or Murali, and refuse to pick domestic spinners that use the doosra.

This event, has let down a whole nation, and that's why there were calls for life bans. They got of easy.
 
CA have thrown the book at Smith and Warner. They do have a right of appeal so the sentence may be revised.

Pakistani and Indian bowlers will.be doing bhangra as we speak. Pakistan play Australia for 5 ODIs in the UAE later this year so I'll be very disappointed if we don't win that now.

When Pak trio were banned in 2010, I am sure teams were thinking they could thrash Pakistan. Then Pakistan whitewashed England 3-0 in Tests the same year.

Loss can sometimes bring out strength.
 
What i'm really curious about is what Cameron Bancroft was thinking when he got the instructions from Smith and Warner.

Was he afraid to go against them?
or
was he more like this is not a big deal.?
 
What i'm really curious about is what Cameron Bancroft was thinking when he got the instructions from Smith and Warner.

Was he afraid to go against them?
or
was he more like this is not a big deal.?
Lol this happens even at club level. Bancroft was carrying out instructions that are not unusual at all. The only thing is he got caught on live broadcast and his captain proceeded to implicate the senior players in his team in a press conference.
 
Bancroft was also lying to the Press when he claimed it was tape, but CA confirmed it was Sandpaper!
 
Steve Smith & David Warner suspended for 12 months, Cameron Bancroft suspended for 9 months by CA

Following the announcements made yesterday in Johannesburg, the Cricket Australia Board has met again today to consider the report of the investigation into the incident in Cape Town.

The key finding from the investigation was that prior knowledge of the incident was confined to three players, Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

Key findings:

Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft have been charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct, namely that their conduct:

(a) was contrary to the spirit of the game;
(b) was unbecoming of a representative or official;
(c) is or could be harmful to the interests of cricket; and/or
(d) did bring the game of cricket into disrepute.

In respect of the individual players concerned, Cricket Australia advises the following:

Steve Smith was charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct based on:

(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 was charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct based on:

(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 was charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct based on:

(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

Summary of sanctions

The range of sanctions available to Cricket Australia under Article 2.3.5 are extensive. The CA Board determined sanctions that would be appropriate in each player’s case, following their review of the report.

The Board has considered the recommendations and determined that the following sanctions will be offered to each player in accordance with the CA Code of Conduct process

Steve Smith Suspension of 12 months from all international and domestic cricket
David Warner Suspension of 12 months from all international and domestic cricket
Cameron Bancroft Suspension of 9 months from all international and domestic cricket

All three players will be permitted to play club cricket and will be encouraged to do so to maintain links with the cricket community.

In addition, all three players will be required to undertake 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket.

Leadership

Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft will not be considered for team leadership positions until a minimum of 12 months after the conclusion of their respective suspensions from international and domestic cricket. Any consideration of future leadership would be conditional on acceptance by fans and the public, form and authority among the playing group. David Warner will not be considered for team leadership positions in the future.

Cricket Australia Chairman, David Peever said:

“As I indicated yesterday, the CA Board understands and shares the anger of fans and the broader Australian community about these events.

“They go to the integrity and reputation of Australian Cricket and Australian sport and the penalties must reflect that.

“These are significant penalties for professional players and the Board does not impose them lightly. It is hoped that following a period of suspension, the players will be able to return to playing the game they love and eventually rebuild their careers.”

Cricket Australia CEO, James Sutherland said:

“As the Chairman has noted, the sanctions we have announced are significant for the individuals involved. That is why the process has had to be thorough to ensure that all relevant issues have been examined.

“I am satisfied that the sanctions in this case properly reflect a balance between the need to protect the integrity and reputation of the game and the need to maintain the possibility of redemption for the individuals involved, all of whom have learned difficult lessons through these events.

“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.” Sutherland concluded.
 
So they will only be allowed to play club cricket.No domestics ether.

Still cannot believe Lehmann got away.
 
Could have been suspended for two/three Test matches with heavy fines and removed from leadership permanently. That would have sufficed.
 
Very harsh, but can see why though. The Aussie public and national persona is of "integrity" and "fair-play" so these punishments were going to be pretty harsh and setting an example.

Still doesn't feel right though.
 
A bit harsh in my opinion

I agree. Too harsh. I know if it had been a sub-continent team, the same party would have been saying that it is a just punishment but I have to be fair, the punishment is too severe for the crime...
 
I dont think after one year they will directly enter the Australian national side. They might have to play a few domestic games to prove their fitness and form.

In the meanwhile if other players seal their spots by good performances, a return might be that more difficult.
 
Kudos to Cricket Australia for setting a precedent. Cheating of any form has no place in sports and needs to be told treated harshly. I hope Lehmann isn’t allowed to get away though.
 
Appropriate punishments and as expected, Warner did not get punished any more severely than Smith, hence protecting some of the other players who definitely knew what was going on.

So much for the life bans people were talking about, lol.

I dont think after one year they will directly enter the Australian national side. They might have to play a few domestic games to prove their fitness and form.

In the meanwhile if other players seal their spots by good performances, a return might be that more difficult.

No World Cup or Ashes for them because of what you mentioned, unless Australia struggle massively over the next 12 months.
 
No this is unfair. CA really being harsh here. Few months would have been good.
 
Its only going to get harsher if it happens again (any team). Aussies have set a precedent here.

Nah, different board have different view on this. It may not be harsher universally.
 
This can destroy their careers. A bit too harsh I’d say. I think these guys are supposed to file an appeal petition and get that term reduced. If such a move isn’t in the plans, this will do more harm than good to Australian cricket.
 
I had sympathy just cause smith fessed up immediately. But now we know that he lied there too.

Once a cheater always a cheater eh?
 
Too harsh. 6 months should have been the maximum. Other boards might have handed 3/4 test ban and a hefty fine. Both are good leaders as well and I rated Warner as a better skipper than Smith in the past. Australia will have huge gaps to fill batting wise & leadership wise. WC is also around the corner & it's not even match fixing or spot fixing.
 
This can destroy their careers. A bit too harsh I’d say. I think these guys are supposed to file an appeal petition and get that term reduced. If such a move isn’t in the plans, this will do more harm than good to Australian cricket.

+1

They definitely should.
 
I remember few months ago during Aus vs Eng ODI series Smith was caught on camera trying to apply Lip Balm from his lips onto the ball, he then said in presser to the reporters that his lips are dry and they can see it.
So something fishy was going on since last few months but there were getting away but Thanks to FDV and cameramen they were caught red handed and had no excuses whatsoever.
 
Smith and Warner have been banned by BCCI to play in IPL 2018. So it is not looking good for them. No league will touch them now.

It seems their biggest loss will be the $1.9 million they would have been paid by their IPL teams.
 
This can destroy their careers. A bit too harsh I’d say. I think these guys are supposed to file an appeal petition and get that term reduced. If such a move isn’t in the plans, this will do more harm than good to Australian cricket.

I think that is understood. It is like filing a law suit for ridiculous amount as compensation and then settling for a more fair amount. The appeal will also take some time and will allow both the media and the public to cool down and take this for what it is.. something every team has been doing and some of the legends are legends because of this.. This practice need to be taken out of the game but not by making two players scapegoats..

At the same time the punishment that the ICC has for this offense is a joke. The punishment should be 3 months out of the game for first offense and grow exponentially after that. If someone does it third time they need to be eased out of the professional cricket. Some of the legends of the game have set a bad example for these bowlers. We don't even know who bowled their heart out and who cheated their way to celebrity status
 
Our board should learn something from CA excellent step.

The reason why the board is taking such a harsh stance is the backlash they are facing from public, media and sponsors. In Pakistan the convicted match fixers re heroes. Unless the fans and public rebel against them PCB won't do anything.. They are happy to go along with the flow...
 
The aussie overreaction has been juvenile - if this was Kohli instead of Smith in the hot seat , I think the BCCI would have handed him a ban of maybe a couple of matches or a series at the most , mostly they would've just left it to the ICC.
 
Really harsh punishment !!! Feeling sad for Smith and Warner - Prolific players.
I thought 2-3 test match suspension should have been enough. This is not a bigger crime than fixing tbh
 
The reason why the board is taking such a harsh stance is the backlash they are facing from public, media and sponsors. In Pakistan the convicted match fixers re heroes. Unless the fans and public rebel against them PCB won't do anything.. They are happy to go along with the flow...

Agreed, as long respective boards welcomes culprits back to team with open arms. Stern message will not be passed to youngsters.

After this move from CA, AUS youngsters will not dare to do such things again in foreseeable future :19:
 
Agreed, as long respective boards welcomes culprits back to team with open arms. Stern message will not be passed to youngsters.

After this move from CA, AUS youngsters will not dare to do such things again in foreseeable future :19:

to me it was a minor mistake and caught red handed....doesnt deserve such a harsh punishment.
 
The aussie overreaction has been juvenile - if this was Kohli instead of Smith in the hot seat , I think the BCCI would have handed him a ban of maybe a couple of matches or a series at the most , mostly they would've just left it to the ICC.

Its a hypothetical question but still I dont think he would have accepted.
 
Cape Town - It's been a surreal 24 hours for former Australia skipper Steve Smith following the ball-tampering bombshell.

Cricket Australia's CEO James Sutherland on Tuesday sent Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft home during the on-going Test series against South Africa after being found guilty of ball-tampering during the third Test at Newlands.

It was also confirmed on Wednesday that Smith and Warner have been banned from international and domestic cricket for a year, while Bancroft has copped nine months.

In addition, the pair who were retained by their respective Indian Premier League franchises will not participate in the 2018 edition.

On his way through OR Tambo International airport, Smith was seen escorted by several policemen and ambushed by the onlookers and some media.

He is reportedly expected to make a press conference once he lands at Sydney International airport on Thursday.



70a8c9a65c9c4310bec03df36528857f.jpg
 
Agreed, as long respective boards welcomes culprits back to team with open arms. Stern message will not be passed to youngsters.

After this move from CA, AUS youngsters will not dare to do such things again in foreseeable future :19:

Not just Amir, look at how many wanted Asif and Butt to be back in the team. There was so much sympathy for Sharjeel khan and no one cares about certain legends with extremely dubious background. In India these bad apples are kept aside.. Azhar never played internationally (and he has a century in his last test match), Jadeja had to fight years of legal battle and never played for India again, Sreesanth same, etc. Same thing with IPL teams.. even chuckers and age cheaters have been dealt the same way. Ojha who was one of hte better left arm spinner was eased out of international cricket as soon as his action was found questionable (he was not even called in an international game) whereas players like Hafeez and Ajmal keep chucking away to their glory.. regarding the age cheaters in U19 BCCI is again leading the way by having age scientifically checked right from U13 onwards.. for all their faults you can't blame BCCI for not trying to clean up the game in India
 
to me it was a minor mistake and caught red handed....doesnt deserve such a harsh punishment.

honestly it is not a big major mistake to work on the ball.. But the problem here is they systematically planned and executed it and had audacity to do it in front of 25+ cameras. Many players are fined for working on ball extensively but few are caught using external objects. So in that way it is bad

But one year is quite a long time but as i commented earlier, may be they are expecting that Smith and co will appeal and get the ban shortened. At the same time ICC should increase the punishment, especially when the team are using external objects like bottle caps, sand paper, etc..
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cricket has been known as a gentleman's game. It's a game that I believe should be played in the purest form. Whatever has happened is unfortunate but the right decision has been taken to uphold the integrity of the game. Winning is important but the way you win is more important</p>— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/979021322226298880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Yes we like to call it the gentleman's game but in reality, every team around the world has ways they go about roughing up the ball, shining the ball, pushing the boundaries to try to get an advantage.

I'm blown away by these punishments. Yes they deserved to be punished, but a whole year? seriously?

There have been so many others(Faf 2 times,philander etc) that have been caught doing the same thing and the maximum ban they've got is 2 matches.Make a stand, give them 3 or 4 months, but not a whole year.

They have likely ended the career of Bancroft too. With guys like Renshaw and Burns playing the way they are it's unlikely he's going to get back in, especially because he's going to be tainted with the tag 'cheat'.
As Shane Warne also said Aussies have overreacted.
 
Bancroft career is also over I believe.

He is not an established player firstly like Smith and Warner. His replacements, once they get establish themselves, I dont think Bancroft would be even taken into consideration, given his image of being a cheat will stay with him after the ban.
 
to me it was a minor mistake and caught red handed....doesnt deserve such a harsh punishment.

Bradman has become Badman in matter of few days :smith

Minor mistake for others, but for CA and AUS public it's a big crime to cheat in sports ...need to respect their views as neutrals IMO !
 
It seems their biggest loss will be the $1.9 million they would have been paid by their IPL teams.

Wrong.

They will lose more in endorsements. Smith already dropped by Weet-Bix, and Warner by LG.

They will also lose on their multi-million salaries with CA - which they will lose.
 
How is ball tampering different from doping? Both are kind of performance enhancement by illegal means.

Infact if anything ball tampering is more certain to give results and cannot even be done unknowingly (like for eg a person can still take illegal drugs unknowingly).

Fair punishment imo.
 
JOHANNESBURG/CAPE TOWN - Proteas batsman Hashim Amla has reacted to Cricket Australia’s decision to slap bans on its players for the ball-tampering scandal.

The Ozzie cricket body has banned Steve Smith and David Warner for 12 months, while the man who tampered with the ball Cameron Bancroft won’t be able to play for nine months.

Amla says the incident is a wake-up call.

“It gives every team in the world a reality check… what kind of cricket do you want to play?”

Amla says that he doesn’t like to see anyone in this kind of situation.

“Definitely, we feel sympathetic for a person who has made a mistake and has to pay the price for it.”

The banned trio do have a right to appeal Cricket Australia’s decision.

At the same time, Dr Ali Bacher has praised Cricket Australia’s handling of the crisis.

Bacher, a former president of Cricket South Africa and experienced administrator, says they did the right thing.

“I know the CEO very well… very able and competent administrator. They had to do it above board. The process was conducted professionally from start to finish.”

http://ewn.co.za/2018/03/28/hashim-...up-call?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
 
Cricket Australia is making an example out of these three players to show that they will not stand for such behaviour. Australia have an extremely proud sporting and Cricket heritage and for them this is a national issue. The PM of the country has commented on the incident and if CA doesn’t clamp down on these players they will face a massive backlash from their own fans, media and government.

Comments on this thread about punishments which other players faced for the same crime or statements along the lines of “everyone ball tampers” are irrelevant and baseless.

The punsihments which other players faced are handed out by the ICC and the punishments which ICC handed to Smith and Bancroft were just as strict - if not quite lenient - compared to what some other players have faced in the past. The 9 and 12 month bans however have been handed out by CA - not the ICC - and if that is the way CA want to deal with players breaking the rules and cheating then good on them. Other boards should learn from this example.

As for the “everyone ball tampers” claims - these are baseless and mean nothing until someone is caught. Specially in today’s day and age when their are cameras following the ball at all times during every international game - it’s quite naive to say “all players ball tamper” without any evidence or proof.

Now the next question is - where do you draw the line in ball tampering? Is rubbing the ball on your trousers ball tampering? Is using spit/sweat on the ball ball tampering? If using spit when chewing on gum or on a sweet ball tampering? Is rubbing lip balm or sun cream on the ball ball tampering? Is throwing the ball in on the bounce to the keeper ball tampering? I think that’s a question that never will be answered & if it is answered by the ICC the umpires will have a nightmare trying to police things.

One thing is for certain though - bringing something into the field e.g. tape, sand paper, dirt etc. and rubbing it against the ball after discussing it with the captain and vice captain is definitely ball tampering and it’s definitely cheating - there’s no two ways about it & I fully respect the way CA are showing a zero tolerance approach to the issue.
 
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