Cricket Australia Tuesday discharged the players' association's appeal to make changes the sanctions against Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft over their alleged involvement in the ball-tampering scandal.

“The Cricket Australia Board has carefully considered all elements of the ACA submission and has determined that it is not appropriate to make any changes to the sanctions handed down to the three players,” CA Interim Chair Earl Eddings stated in a statement.

Worth mention here Former Test Captain Smith and Vice-captain Warner were handed the bans by the CA after the ball-tampering scandal earlier this year and they are not scheduled to start again playing at the top level until March 29, 2019. It is noted that Batsman Cameron Bancroft, who used the well-known piece of yellow sandpaper, was handed a nine-month ban for his part in the affair and is scheduled to come back to action at the end of December.

The Australian Cricketers` Association contested the bans were overly-harsh. It argued that the three should be able to come back to representative cricket immediately.

“The original decision of the Board to sanction the players was determined after rigorous discussion and consideration. CA maintains that both the length and nature of the sanctions remain an appropriate response in light of the considerable impact on the reputation of Australian cricket, here and abroad,” stated Eddings.

Reports suggested that a seven-member CA board reviewed the player association's but it felt that suspensions were warranted and should not be changed.