Steve Smith and David Warner were involved in formulating a plan to tamper with the ball to gain an advantage. (Reuters Photo)
Cricket Australia are not considering reducing the period of ban on Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft from the game of cricket despite repeated calls to include them in the national team ahead of India’s tour to Australia.
Six months back, then coach Darren Lehmann quit while Smith, Warner and Bancroft were banned from the game after being found guilty of using sandpaper to tamper the flight of the ball on their tour to South Africa.
While the then-captain Smith and deputy Warner were given international playing bans for one year (till April 2019), Bancroft was let off with a suspension for nine months (till January 21) in March, 2018. When the punishment was announced, the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) called it ‘harsh’ and asked the CA to reconsider the ban.
However, CA chairman David Peewar struck down that possibility saying that the board came to the decision after comepleting a process and that they stand by it. “Sanctions were carried out and imposed by the board after a very full and thoughtful process. So the sanctions stand,” said Peever. “As chairman of the board of CA, I accept responsibility for what happened in South Africa, but I’m also very confident that we’re positioned to move forward from here.”
“We’ve learned many lessons and of course there has been a lot going on since then. Both within the playing group and within the organisation itself to move things forward,” he added.
This comes one month ahead of India’s tour to Australia. Repeated calls have been made to the CA to include Smith and Warner to the national side, who have produced a string of poor performances.
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