CONFIRMED: Cricket Australia hands down lengthy suspensions to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft

Cricket Australia’s sanctions for Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft for the ball tampering scandal have been confirmed, with all three players set for a long stint out of the game.

Veteran ABC cricket commentator Jim Maxwell first reported that Smith and Warner will be suspended for 12 months, while it later emerged that Bancroft will be on the sidelines for nine months.

That has now been confirmed by Cricket Australia in a statement released just before 9pm (AEDT), which added that all three players will be required to undertake “100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket”.

In addition, Smith and Bancroft have been barred from leadership positions in the 12 months immediately after their playing bans finish, while Warner has been banned from leadership positions for the remainder of his career.

In their statement regarding the investigation into the ball tampering scandal which has dominated Australian sport, Cricket Australia revealed it was sandpaper, not tape, which was used by Bancroft to alter the condition of the ball during the third Test against South Africa.

More significantly, the statement states it was Warner who developed the plan to tamper with the ball, while Smith was charged instead with knowing of but not preventing the plot, amongst other points:

Excerpt from Cricket Australia’s statement

Steve Smith was charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct based on:

(a) knowledge of a potential plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball;
(b) failure to take steps to seek to prevent the development and implementation of that plan;
(c) directing that evidence of attempted tampering be concealed on the field of play;
(d) seeking to mislead Match Officials and others regarding Bancroft’s attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball; and
(e) misleading public comments regarding the nature, extent and participants of the plan

David Warner was charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct based on:

(a) development of a plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball;
(b) instruction to a junior player to carry out a plan to take steps to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper;
(c) provision of advice to a junior player regarding how a ball could be artificially altered including demonstrating how it could be done;
(d) failure to take steps to seek to prevent the development and/or implementation of the plan;
(e) failure to report his knowledge of the plan at any time prior to or during the match;
(f) misleading Match Officials through the concealment of his knowledge of and involvement in the plan; and
(g) failure to voluntarily report his knowledge of the plan after the match

Cameron Bancroft was charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA Code of Conduct based on:

(a) knowledge of the existence of, and being party to, the plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper;
(b) carrying out instructions to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball;
(c) seeking to conceal evidence of his attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball;
(d) seeking to mislead Match Officials and others regarding his attempts to artificially alter the condition of the ball; and
(e) misleading public comments regarding the nature, extent, implementation and participants of the plan

Grade cricket is the highest level of the game the three players will be eligible to play in Australia during their suspensions – and Cricket Australia is, indeed, encouraging the trio to do so.

The bans will see Smith, Warner and Bancroft miss a significant amount of cricket. Australia have some ten series in the next 12 months under the ICC’s Future Tours Programme.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India have also handed down sanctions on Warner and Smith, banning both from playing in this year’s Indian Premier League despite the duo already stepping down as captains of their respective sides. Both have (or at least had, where 2018 is concerned) lucrative contracts with IPL teams each worth around $2.5 million AUD.

While the punishments handed down will no doubt seem harsh to many cricket fans – compared to previous sentences for ball tampering they are considerably more stringent – there is little doubt the bans are a way of mitigating the reputational damage Cricket Australia has suffered in the wake of the incident.

The incident has put sponsorships at risk – LG ended its partnership with Warner earlier today – and negotiations are still ongoing for the next Cricket Australia broadcast deal.

Cricket Australia chairman David Peever has acknowledged the severity of the punishments handed out, but expressed hope that all three players will return to the game once they have served their time.

“These are significant penalties for professional players and the Board does not impose them lightly,” Peever said.

“It is hoped that following a period of suspension, the players will be able to return to playing the game they love and eventually rebuild their careers.”

Sutherland, however, indicated further findings from the investigation are still to come.

“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.”

The three players must now decide whether to appeal or accept the sanctions. An appeal would see the matter move to a hearing before a CA Commissioner, with the result of that hearing able to be appealed once more to an Appeals Commissioner.