Steve Smith to remain captain while Cricket Australia investigates ball-tampering revelations

Steve Smith says he has no plans to step down as captain of the Australian cricket team following ball tampering in the third Test against South Africa.

Rather than act on Smith’s admission that he knew in advance of team mate Cameron Bancroft’s plan during yesterday’s play, Cricket Australia is to send its Head of Integrity, Iain Roy, and Head of Team Performance, Pat Howard, to South Africa to investigate the incident.

Advising that he was disappointed and shocked to hear about the incident, Cricket Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland stated "Australian cricket fans want to be proud of their cricket team. They want to be proud of the Australian cricket team. And I think this morning, they have every reason to wake up and not be proud of the team.

"It's a very sad day for Australian cricket. One of the unique things about the game of cricket is that it's to be played not only within the laws of the game, but in the spirit of the game. And activities on the field yesterday in Cape Town are neither within the laws of the game or within the spirit of the game."

"Cameron Bancroft was charged under the ICC Code of Conduct and accepted that charge and penalty that came with it. And after the game, he and Steve Smith spoke about that matter. Unfortunately, that's not the end of it and can't be the end of it.”

Sutherland said Smith remained the captain of the Australian team with the governing body working to understand more about the issue.

He advised that Cricket Australia's head of integrity and head of team performance are travelling to South Africa to investigate the incident.

Sutherland added "Steve Smith is currently captain, we are working through a process. Once we have a clearer picture of the facts we will be able to make further comment.

"I understand that that is not necessarily the fullness of response that everyone is looking for right now. But you will appreciate that there's an element of process that needs to be undertaken here. And you will understand that by appointing our head of integrity to this project, it is being dealt with as a matter of urgency and seriousness.”

Television footage showed Bancroft take what he said was yellow tape out of his trouser pocket before tamparing with the ball during the third Test at Cape Town-venue Newlands.

With cricketing commentators and former players calling for decisive action, Smith insists he has no plans to relinquish the captaincy despite admitting to knowing about the ball-tampering plan.

Former Australia batsman Simon Katich told Melbourne-based radio station SEN News that Cricket Australia had "no option" but to sack Smith, vice-captain David Warner and head coach Darren Lehmann, while ex-fast bowler Rodney Hogg also called for Smith to step down, for what he called "blatant cheating".

The incident comes at a commercially sensitive time for Cricket Australia with it currently discussing a new rights deal with broadcasters. Despite report that negotiations with networks could yield more than $1 billion, broadcasters apparently see that Test cricket is less of an attraction that shorter forms of the game.

Images: Yesterday's ball tampering as broadcast by Fox Sports cameras (top) and Steve Smith being interviewed by the Cricket Network after the incident below).

25th March 2018 - AUSTRALIAN CRICKET IN TURMOIL OVER BALL-TAMPERING SCANDAL 

9th February 2017 - ICC FINDS NO EVIDENCE OF MATCH-FIXING IN ASHES TEST 

5th August 2017 - FEDERAL SPORTS MINISTER LAUNCHES REVIEW INTO INTEGRITY OF AUSTRALIAN SPORT

2nd August 2017 - CRICKET AUSTRALIA AND PLAYERS’ UNION REACH LANDMARK PAY DEAL 

7th July 2017 - SOUTH AFRICAN TOUR CANCELLED AS CRICKET AUSTRALIA PAY DISPUTE CONTINUES

1st July 2017 - AUSTRALIA’S ELITE CRICKETERS UNEMPLOYED AFTER PAY DISPUTE DEADLINE PASSES 

27th June 2017 - AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS’ ASSOCIATION FEARS NO RESOLUTION OF CRICKET AUSTRALIA PAY DISPUTE 

28th April 2017 - PLAYERS REJECT CRICKET AUSTRALIA PAY OFFER

27th April 2017 - ANALYSTS ADVISE CHANNEL NINE TO MOVE AWAY FROM LOSS-MAKING CRICKET BROADCAST COVERAGE 

27th October 2016 - PROFIT DOWNTURN PRESENTS CHALLENGES FOR CRICKET AUSTRALIA 

14th April 2016 - SPORTS BODIES AND PERSONALITIES JOIN TO FORM NEW SPORT INTEGRITY GLOBAL ALLIANCE

7th February 2013 - DRUGS AND CRIME REPORT ROCKS AUSTRALIAN SPORT 

8th November 2012 - NEW UNIT TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF AUSTRALIA SPORT