JOHANNESBURG — Captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner were banned for 12 months on Wednesday after an investigation into the Australian cricket team’s cheating scandal identified Warner as the instigator of the ball tampering plan that unraveled in South Africa. Smith, the top test batsman in the world and the star of Australian cricket, knew about the plan. Smith and Warner were banned from playing for Australia, or any high-level cricket in Australia, for a year. “These are significant penalties for professional players and the (Cricket Australia) board does not impose them lightly,” CA chairman David Peever said. The ball tampering plan could be seen as being almost comical if it hadn’t destroyed reputations and possibly careers.

Source: National Post March 28, 2018 08:46 UTC