Former cricketers react to Australia admitting to ball-tampering

Australia captain Steve Smith faces serious questions over his future after admitting his team deliberately tampered with the ball during the third Test against South Africa.

Smith said he was “incredibly sorry” for bringing the game “into disrepute” after team-mate Cameron Bancroft was caught rubbing a piece of tape, coated with dust from the pitch, on the ball while fielding on day three in Cape Town.

Bancroft attempted, after speaking to 12th man Peter Handscomb, to hide the tape down his trousers but the video evidence was clear and he was charged by the match officials after play finished on Saturday.

Former Australia spinner Shane Warne, now a television pundit, immediately called for answers after seeing the drama unfold.

He posted: “Very disappointed with the pictures I saw on our coverage here in Cape Town. If proven the alleged ball tampering is what we all think it is – then I hope Steve Smith (Captain) & Darren Lehmann (Coach) do the press conference to clean this mess up!”

He told Sky Sports: “You can’t have that in the game. I don’t have any issue with anyone if they are sucking on a mint or chewing some gum – that’s just natural saliva. But if you use a foreign object then that has to be seriously looked at.”

Smith’s predecessor as Australia skipper, Michael Clarke, was stunned to learn of the controversy.

He tweeted: “WHAT THE …….. HAVE I JUST WOKEN UP TO. Please tell me this is a bad dream.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan posted on Twitter: “Steve Smith,his Team & ALL the management will have to accept that whatever happens in their careers they will all be known for trying to CHEAT the game … #SAvAUS”

He then started a poll asking his followers whether Smith should be sacked.

Another ex-England skipper was far from impressed, with Nasser Hussain leading the condemnation as he referenced the 1994 incident which saw then-England captain Michael Atherton fined for using dirt in his pocket to dry the ball.

“Michael Atherton had a ‘brainfade’,” Hussain told Sky Sports. “This looks more like a premeditated, ‘We are going to tamper with the ball’.

“You don’t just have a bit of sandpaper, or whatever that yellow piece was that he tries to hide down his pants. That’s a premeditated thing you take out there with you.

“You get the ball thrown to you, you scratch it up, you try and hide it down your pants, and when the umpires catch you out you say it’s a sunglasses case. It looks terrible.”

Former England batsman James Taylor was amazed by Smith and Bancroft’s contrite post-match press conference, and posted: “Wow I’ve just seen the Steve Smith Bancroft press conference…?? this looks/ sounds awful… #AUSvsSA #BallTampering”