Australia cricket scandal: Steve Smith will not appeal ban

Australian cricketers Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft have accepted their bans for the ball-tampering incident against South Africa.

Along with David Warner, Smith, the former captain, was handed a 12-month ban by Cricket Australia for his part in the scandal during the third Test in Cape Town. Bancroft was given a nine-month suspension.

Speaking on Twitter, Smith said he would take “full responsibility” for the incident.

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“I would give anything to have this behind me and be back representing my country. But I meant what I said about taking full responsibility as captain of the team,” he wrote.

“I won’t be challenging the sanctions. They’ve been imposed by CA to send a strong message and I have accepted them.”

Bancroft also used social media to accept the sanction, tweeting: “Today I lodged the paperwork with Cricket Australia and will be accepting the sanction handed down. I would love to put this behind me and will do whatever it takes to earn back the trust of the Australian public. Thank you to all those who have sent messages of support.”

According to The Guardian, Smith, Bancroft and Warner had until tomorrow to confirm whether they would appeal, with hearings pencilled in for 11 April. Warner has yet to make an announcement on if he will appeal.

The Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) has urged Cricket Australia to reconsider the length of the bans given to the shamed trio.

ACA president Greg Dyer said: “The contrition shown by these men is extraordinary, absolutely extraordinary. The distressed faces have sent a message across the world as effective as any sanction could be,” reports The Guardian.

“I think Australia cried with Steve Smith last Thursday. I know I certainly did. We ask for this extraordinary contrition to be taken into account by Cricket Australia just as it would be in any fair and proper process.”