Australia captain Steve Smith Banned and Cameron Bancroft given three demerit points

Australia captain banned for Joburg Test and Cameron Bancroft given three demerit points for role in ball tampering scandal

Australia captain Steve Smith has been handed a one-match suspension and fined 100 per cent of his match fee following his admission yesterday that he was party to a decision to attempt to change the condition of the ball in order to gain an unfair advantage during the third day’s play in the Cape Town Test against South Africa.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson laid the charge against Smith under to Article 2.2.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel which prohibits to ‘all types of conduct of a serious nature that is contrary to the spirit of the game’. Smith accepted the charge and the proposed sanction of two suspension points which equates to a ban for the next Test match and which will see four demerit points added to his record.