Monitoring Desk
DUBAI: International cricket bosses suspended Australia captain Steve Smith for one match and docked his entire match fee for the current Test after he admitted responsibility for the ball-tampering scandal in the ongoing game against South Africa.
Opener Cameron Bancroft, 25, was hit by three demerit points, fined 75 percent of his match fee and warned for his part in attempting to “change the condition of the ball in order to gain an unfair advantage” on Saturday, the International Cricket Council said in a statement on Sunday.
“The decision made by the leadership group of the Australian team to act in this way is clearly contrary to the spirit of the game, risks causing significant damage to the integrity of the match, the players and the sport itself and is therefore ‘serious’ in nature,” said ICC chief executive David Richardson. “As captain, Steve Smith must take full responsibility for the actions of his players and it is appropriate that he be suspended.” The ICC statement said Smith had “accepted the charge”.
