The video of Cameron Bancroft 'roughing' the ball up is shocking, and blatant. Then to pull something totally different from his pocket and plead innocence. Hopefully they throw the book at him.

Shameful...won't be the last we hear of this!

He stuffed the "foreign object" (= bit of sandpaper) down his pants before seeing the umpire about what was happening.
It's a very acrimonious series to start off with - Aussies complaining about abuse from crowd etc.

Funny how most of these bad-blood incidents in matches in various recent series have one team in common.

Won’t get away with that , blatant cheating, should award match to South Africa

Even the Oz press is reporting it as highly suspicious

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/wh ... 4z63q.html

Even sent 12th man on to tell him he’d been seen , then hid it down his trousers

It's just like thumping an opponent off the ball in football or blatantly diving for a pen. Have these guys not realised yet that EVERY single person on the field and every single movement they make is being filmed by the tele? Very talented, but ultimately very thick!

An admission has come from the Australian camp now. As per BBC website:
Australia's Cameron Bancroft had admitted he tampered with the ball during the third Test against South Africa - and captain Steve Smith says he knew of the plan in advance.
Smith said the team's "leadership group" had spoken about it and "thought it was a way to get an advantage".

At least they aren't hanging Bancroft out to dry. Wonder if they drew lots for who had to do the dastardly deed or if they just lumbered the junior member of the squad. The skipper should've had the guts to do it himself given he sanctioned it - weasel.

Bancroft and Smith have now admitted ball tampering. W4nkers.

Bancroft and Smith have now admitted ball tampering and the leadership New about it beforehand.

What punishment do you think. 12 months bans? Award the test to South Africa.

Snap!

Both should be looking at a long ban. Maybe they’ll blame it on another “brain freeze”.

Not even subtle.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Cricket/commen ... different/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Probably about 2 Test bans.
However how many members of team should be punished if they were all in it together p

Fat headed Lehman didn’t know anything about it. Quite convenient.
He can go back to crying about the crowds now.

Is this worse than Mohamed Amir bowling no balls ? Ultimately there is monetary gain. 12 month ban for each player should do the job.

Smith apologises for getting caught is how his presser sounds to me.
Won't resign so they should take the decision out of his hands.
12 month ban minimum for blatant cheating.

Looking at the reddit film clip, there were 3 balls he tampered with.

Triple the usual ban time.

I demand they return the Ashes..

Smith can't say that the decision to ball tamper was taken at a management level and then try to distance himself from it and cling on. He has to go and if he won't he needs a big shove!
And it really does put a shadow over the Ashes massacre which is doubly stupid on their part as they were clearly the better team anyway.

As piston said. They're apologising for getting caught. It was hard to deny given the evidence.
The ONLY good thing is that Smith has fallen on his sword as well, rather than laying the blame on Bancroft.
It has to have some serious consequences.

The question all concerned in the Australian team should ask themselves is " How would I have been able to look Ritchie Benaud in the eye and explain all this ? "

The Captain should resign, as should the Coach....simples !

Should shut up Mr Giggle Smith for a while!

This is going to be massive, careers will not recover from this can't see how Smith can escape losing his captaincy after admitting cheating.

Just seen Michael Vaughan's tweet. "If ever there was a week to get bowled out for just 58 and nobody will actually give sh**!"

And they claimed `it was the first time we have done it !` Well they would say that wouldn`t they . If they did something so stupid it makes you wonder what else they have done. Cheating Convicts

If Lehman didn't know about this someone is fibbing,either it was approved from the management or not.
If not the management then ultimately Steve Smith has too fall on his sword i'm afraid.
Don't think it's doing them any good they trail by nearly 300 and South Africa have 5 wickets in hand.
This has not been a good week for Test Cricket England being skittled for 58 and now a ball-tampering allegation.

Cast your mind back when they where laughing at England not laughing now what goes around comes around utc

Surely the title of its thread is as fine an example of Tautology as you will find.

Smith gone.

Smith has quit completely, and he and Warner have stepped down from their roles in the rest of the Third Test.

What a story.

hampsteadclaret wrote:Smith has quit completely, and he and Warner have stepped down from their roles in the rest of the Third Test.

What a story.

There couldn’t be any other outcome as soon as he admitted to cheating.

hampsteadclaret wrote:Smith has quit completely, and he and Warner have stepped down from their roles in the rest of the Third Test.

What a story.

Where does it say he has quit completely.BBC are saying they have stepped down for the rest of this match.

Expect both Smith and Warner to soon be playing for Clitheroe C C .Both unpaid amateurs of course .U T H

conyoviejo wrote:I demand they return the Ashes..

Don't worry you will get it back in a couple of years time

I’m shocked that Warner is involved in this.

Missing a smiley Bordeaux?

It’s interesting that they are complaining about how they’re being treated on this tour, that the whole of SA is against them and it’s not fair. This is exactly how the England team are treated on every single minute of every ashes tour. Who is whinging now

33..fair point..I thought I heard the BBC say that half an hour ago..looks like I got that wrong.

- interesting to see what does happen next?

Leadership group...surely that would include Warner..?

Lehman...how much did he know?

How long has this stuff been going on?

I have to confess...I'm very surprised by these events...

I'm not, the aussies seem to have a win at all costs attitude, and could any team have a more dislikable captain and vice captain. Can't stand Smith and Warner

Can't believe they thought they'd get away with it the amount of cameras there are these days.

Being reported that they were told to stand down. How arrogant is that from Smith and Warner that they thought they could carry on as if nothing has happened. Makes you think that they believe it is ok to tamper with the ball but unfortunately they caught yesterday.

Long bans and someone should study footage to see if it has been done before. My guess yes and not by just Australia.

Cheating in cricket is nothing new and dates back over 150 years to the time of W G Grace who was described in Wisden as "a champion of the sport but a shameless cheat." The idea that cricket was just played by gentlemen who abided by the laws of the game is a complete myth.

Sadly, cheating is now rife in all sports whether it be diving in football or the administration of certain medications in cycling.

kentonclaret wrote:Cheating in cricket is nothing new and dates back over 150 years to the time of W G Grace who was described in Wisden as "a champion of the sport but a shameless cheat." The idea that cricket was just played by gentlemen who abided by the laws of the game is a complete myth.

Sadly, cheating is now rife in all sports whether it be diving in football or the administration of certain medications in cycling.

Cheating has always gone on , just can’t get away with it as easily nowadays.

Smith & Warner go on and on about the “aggressive brand of cricket” they like to play. They left Australia with the intent to ruffle feathers in SA. They said sledging was a tactic they use to try and break the batsman’s concentration. But of course they always go to far. Warner is basically just a thug who can’t take it back. Smith is a suck. He’s always pulling faces, puffing his cheeks out or standing with his arms wide looking around for someone to tell him what to do. Micheal Holding on commentary today said, there was a lot of regret & embarresment from the Aussies in the press conference . But not a lot of apologising.

jrgbfc wrote:Can't believe they thought they'd get away with it the amount of cameras there are these days.

Seems to suggest that they have got away with it in the past though doesn't it?

I'm told Jonny Bairstow is playing the Smith/Bancroft Press conference on a continuous loop on his i-pad and may well be unable to bat tomorrow due to sore ribs caused by laughing incessantly....

The next home Ashes tests should be fun... waving strips of Sandpaper at Australian fielders etc..

Suspended for one test match and fined his match fee. Hopefully that won't be the end of the matter as far as the Australian cricket board are concerned

ICC are wimps but think the Australian Cricket Board will come down on several players and the Coaching Stafflike a Ton of Bricks

I think Lehmann is a goner for sure. The leadership team which I am guessing is Smith, Warner, Bancroft and Lyons can all expect long bans from the Australian team. The Aussie board will have to be seen to do something severe after the way they like to be the rule makers and the decision makers of what is fair and what is not. If they want to carry on doing that which they will as it will still help them in the long run they need to take decisive action now