Cricket Australia: Ban sentence of Smith, Warner, Bancroft to stay in full

This means as decided earlier, Bancroft’s ban will end only in late December, while Smith and Warner will be eligible to return only post March 2019.

Also Read: Cricket Australia’s ban sentence on Smith, Warner and Bancroft likely to be lifted

Cricket Australia in a statement said that, “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. We believe the ongoing conversation about reducing the sanctions puts undue pressure on the three players — all of whom accepted the sanctions earlier this year — and the Australian men’s cricket team. As such, the Cricket Australia Board doesn’t intend to consider further calls for amendments to the sanctions.””

Several options were reportedly on the table for the three players after the submission from the ACA following the findings of the Long-staff cultural review. The players’ association argued the review found the ball tampering saga was not just the fault of the players, but also a result of the sport’s win-at-all-costs mentality.