'I won't be challenging': Smith accepts 12-month ban
AXED Test captain Steve Smith has accepted the heavy sanctions dealt to him by Cricket Australia for his part in the Cape Town ball-tampering saga.
Despite being cleared of concocting the plan for Cameron Bancroft to tamper with the ball in the thrid Test against South Africa, Smith was handed a 12-month ban from internatinoal cricket and professional cricket in Australia by the national body.
Alongside his playing ban, Smith has been ruled out of any leadership roles with the national team for two years.
Smith announced his decision not to challenge the sanctions on Twitter on Wednesday.
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. I won’t be challenging the sanctions. They’ve been imposed by CA to send a strong message and I have accepted them.
— Steve Smith (@stevesmith49) 4 April 2018
David Warner and Bancroft are yet to announce if they will be taking their cases to an independent code-of-conduct hearing.
It was intially believed they had until Thursday 5pm to decide if they were going to call for a hearing, however Fairfax reports that Warner and Bancroft have until April 11 to make that decision.
Like Smith, Warner was also banned for 12 months.
The disgraced opener has been acccused of planning the ball-tampering and conscripting the services of Bancroft.
Unlike Smith, Warner has been ruled out of ever captaining Australia again. He seems the most likely to take his charges to a hearing with an independent comissioner on April 11.
Bancroft is facing a nine-month stint on the sidelines.
The punishments handed out by CA to the Cape Town trio have been labled harsh by many, and on Tuesday the Australian Cricketers' Association called for the governing body to bring the bans closer in line with the punishments dealt by the International Cricket Council for ball-tampering.
Smith was hit with a one-Test ban by the ICC and Bancroft a first and final warning.
However, CA has repeatedly stressed that the charges laid are for conduct that is (a) contrary to the spirit of the game, (b) unbecoming of a representative, (c) harmful to the interests of cricket and (d) brings the game into disrepute.
Smith's one-year ban has more to do with his part in the attempt to cover the ball-tampering up than the act itself.
