CAPE TOWN, March (ANA) - Australia opener Cameron Bancroft has been charged with altering the condition of the ball and faces a possible ban after he was caught on camera during the third day of the Cape Town Test on Saturday.
The charge is a Level 2 offence under the ICC's Code of Conduct, with possible sanctions a fine of his match fee anywhere between 50 and 100 percent, with either three or four demerit points added to his record. Four demerit points would trigger an automatic one-Test ban.
Cameron Bancroft said: "We just had discussions with the match officials. I've been charged with attempting to change the condition of the ball”
"Once I was sighted on the big screens I panicked quite a lot."
He confirmed it was yellow tape used which he attempted to conceal in his pocket.
Captain Steve Smith, meanwhile, confirmed Bancroft had been instructed to change the condition of the ball. “The leadership group knew about it. I'm not proud of it.”
Bancroft was captured putting a yellow object down the front of his pants moments before the umpires seemingly inquired what was in the fielder’s pockets.
Footage later broadcast showed Bancroft rubbing the ball and then seemingly putting an object back in his pocket.
"In my opinion he has tampered with the ball, and used an object to do that," former South Africa captain Graeme Smith said on commentary after the tea break.
"Clearly he's hiding something away from the umpires and when they approach him he pulls something outside of his pocket.
"It is damning in my mind.
"You can see that he's taking something out of his pocket, using it on the ball, and once the message comes out (to the umpires) he's clearly hiding it away. When he gets approached he takes out the old sunglasses cleaner.” - African News Agency (ANA)
