Thursday, March 29, 2018
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On Tuesday, Cricket Australia announced they had sanctioned David Warner and test captain Steve Smith after the ball tampering incident in Cape Town test match versus South Africa. Both the cricketers are banned for international as well as domestic cricket in Australia for breaking Cricket Australia’s code of conduct — violating spirit of the game — per Article 2.3.5.
Along with Smith and Warner, Cameron Bancroft was banned for nine months for actually tempering the match ball, who was instructed by David Warner. Bancroft later mislead the match officials when he was caught tampering with the ball. The sanctions include Warner never to be considered for Australia’s captain for demonstrating and instructing junior player how to tamper the ball. Bancroft, and captain Steve Smith, who knew about the misconduct, but did not act to prevent it, as well as tried to cover up the matter, may be considered for the captaincy subject to conditions including public interest, once their bans are lifted.
Cricket Australia named Tim Paine as the captain on Tuesday. The three sanctioned had left for Australia on Wednesday. Glenn Maxwell, Joe Burns and Matthew Renshaw were called for the team as replacements. Bancroft, Smith and Warner can appeal for the sanctions until a week. Board consisting of former Australian Test players Mark Taylor and Michael Kasprowicz as well as Cricket Australia’s Chairman David Peever, Earl Eddings, Dr Bob Every, John Harnden, Tony Harrison, Jacquie Hey and Michelle Tredenick had decided the sanctions.
Bancroft, who was seen rubbing the match ball with an object, which was later identified as a sandpaper, said, “I’m not proud of what’s happened and I have to live with the consequences and the damage to my own reputation that comes with”. Initially, when Bancroft was seen tampering the ball, he lied to on-field match officials Richard Illingworth and Nigel Llong that the object was a sticky take and he was sticking granules onto the ball. Bancroft said, “I saw an opportunity to potentially use some tape and get some granules from the rough patches on the wicket and I guess try to change the ball condition […] It didn’t work. The umpires didn’t change the ball. Once I was sighted on the screen having done that I panicked quite a lot and that obviously resulted in me shoving [the tape] down my trousers.” Sandpaper is prohibited to be used with the match ball however it is used for smoothen the cricket bat.
The decision to change the ball was made during Day 3’s lunch break, and eventually, South Africa went on to win the match by 322 runs as they lead the series 2–1. For altering the ball conditions, Bancroft was fined 75% of the match wage by Cricket Australia. Bancroft had violated International Cricket Council (ICC)’s Article 2.2.9, “changing the condition of the ball”.
Regarding the tampering of the ball, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) banned David Warner and Steve Smith from this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL). In a statement, BCCI said, “The BCCI hopes that the cricketers participating in the IPL hold the highest regard for the Spirit of Cricket and Code of Conduct for Players and Match Officials.” This dissolved AU$2.4 million contracts of the two. Smith and Warner had vacated their positions as Rajasthan Royals’ and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s captains earlier.
Rajasthan Royals named Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane as the new captain, while Sunrisers Hyderabad announced New Zealand’s Kane Williamson as the captain. Both the franchise are allowed to make replacements, BCCI has said in the statement. Warner was the highest run-scorer in last year’s IPL and won the 2016’s edition of IPL with Hyderabad. This year’s IPL is to start on April 7.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported LG Australia said on Wednesday that they are not to renew contract with David Warner. Speaking to Fairfax media, LG said, “LG’s current sponsorship of David Warner is in the final weeks, and in light of recent events, we have decided not to renew our partnership.” Sports clothing brand Asics announced breaking ties with Warner and Bancroft with immediate effect.
On Thursday, Warner posted a tweet apologising the cricket fans. He said, “Mistakes have been made which damaged cricket. I apologise for my part and take responsibility of it.” In a press conference in Sydney, Australia, Steve Smith said, “I made a serious error of judgement and I now understand the consequences. It was a failure of my leadership. I will do everything I can to make up for my mistake and the damage it has caused.”