CA ban Smith, Warner for one year, Bancroft for nine months

Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft

JOHANNESBURG, March 28 (AFP): Disgraced Australia skipper Steve Smith and senior batsman David Warner were Wednesday banned from cricket for 12 months over a cheating scandal that has rocked the sport and dragged their side's reputation through the mud.

Both players have also been ejected from this year's Indian Premier League, losing contracts worth up to $2 million each.

A statement from Cricket Australia (CA) said Smith and Warner had been suspended from "all international and domestic cricket" while opening batsman Cameron Bancroft has been banned for nine months.

However the statement said all three players involved in the ball-tampering incident during the third Test in South Africa will be "permitted" and "encouraged" to play club cricket, the statement said.

It was not immediately clear whether that means they would be available to play club cricket in England, for example.

Smith was charged with knowledge of a potential plan "to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball" but Warner was charged with developing the plan.

The CA statement said Smith and Bancroft would not be considered for team leadership positions until a minimum of 12 months after the end of their suspensions, but Warner will be barred from such positions in the future.

All three players will also be required to undertake 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket.

Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said the board had imposed "significant" sanctions over the incident, in which Bancroft used a strip of yellow sticky tape to pick up dirt and illegally roughen one side of the ball to generate more swing for Australia's bowlers.

"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," Sutherland said.

"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."

Smith, Warner and Bancroft have been sent home from South Africa but coach Darren Lehmann remains in charge because Cricket Australia says he was unaware of the plot to alter the ball's condition.

The scandal will also hit the players hard in the pocket, with Smith and Warner losing their contracts in the IPL, Smith with the Rajasthan Royals and Warner for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said its top officers had decided "to ban Mr Smith and Mr Warner with immediate effect from participation in IPL 2018".