Australia captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner have been banned for a 12 month period by Cricket Australia. The verdict has come after investigation into the ball-tampering controversy. Also involved in the cheating case, Cameron Bancroft has been banned for nine months. Smith and Warner have also been banned from captaining Australia for a period of two years. Steve Smith and Warner will be back in time for the ICC World Cup in England and then the Ashes. Meanwhile, Cameron Bancroft returns in time for summer with India to tour Australia at the time.

All players have the right to appeal their verdicts and also the duration of their penalties via a Cricket Australia code of conduct hearing with an independent commissioner, who can also choose whether to keep the hearing public or private. The players are due to depart for Australia on Wednesday with Smith to speak publicly upon his arrival in Sydney.

The players were informed of their “significant sanctions” in the team hotel in Johannesburg before leaving for Australia. The International Cricket Council (ICC) had already announced its verdict – suspending Steve Smith for one Test and deducting 100 per cent of his match fee. Smith and David Warner were stripped off their roles as captain and vice captain of Australia for the remainder of the third Test against South Africa. Smith has also stepped down as captain of Rajasthan Royals for the 2018 season. Bancroft was fined 75 per cent of his match fee and awarded three demerit points.