AUSTRALIA cricket captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner have been handed 12-month bans for ball tampering by Cricket Australia.
And Cameron Bancroft has copped a nine-month ban for his role in the cheating storm.
All three have been sent home from the tour of South Africa.
Opener Bancroft was filmed rubbing sandpaper on the surface of the ball in an effort to encourage reverse swing.
Bancroft and Smith admitted a pre-meditated plan to cheat.
However, Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said head coach Darren Lehmann did not know of the ploy and will remain in his job.
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That decision was reached despite Lehmann saying he was aware of “techniques” used by players to gain an advantage.
Warner has also stepped down as captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the wake of the scandal.
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Smith – who has been stripped of his role as skipper of Rajasthan Royals – was needed a police escort at the airport as he was mobbed before flying home in disgrace.
Australia has been thrown into a national state of outrage since the scandal unfolded, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull calling the event a “shocking disappointment”.
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Cricket Australia chairman David Peever said: “The CA Board understands and shares the anger of fans and the broader Australian community about these events.
“They go to the integrity and reputation of Australian Cricket and Australian sport and the penalties must reflect that.
“These are significant penalties for professional players and the Board does not impose them lightly.
“It is hoped that, following a period of suspension, the players will be able to return to playing the game they love and eventually rebuild their careers.”
Smith and Warner’s year bans mean they will miss this summer’s five one-day internationals in England.
But they should be available for next year’s World Cup and Ashes series.
A prominent Australian journalist claimed Smith and Warner can play grade-level cricket (district) but not state or international.
Smith and Warner have been told they cannot captain Australia for the next two years.
All three players have the right to challenge the verdicts and the length of the bans.
Reports in Australia claim the disgraced players are considering their legal options over the bans.
Chief cricket writer for The Australian Peter Lalor reported Smith and Warner have already sought legal representation to assess their avenues to appeal the sanctions.
“The trio can appeal against the finding and the sentence, The Australian understands that Smith and Warner have already consulted lawyers in preparation,” Lalor told The Herald Sun.
“Smith looked resigned to his fate as he left for the meeting and later emerged to tell his team mates who were still at breakfast. They were all grim faced as he told them.”
Legendary spinner Shane Warne said the punishment was too harsh for the crime, whipped up by a ‘tornado of hysteria’.
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Warne writes in The Daily Telegraph: “The hysteria has gone world wide, and everyone that dislikes the way the Australian cricket team has played, and over the past five or so years there have been rumblings about the way this team has gone about things, have been given the opportunity to lay the boots in.
“There are those countries that don’t like Australia, don’t like individuals in the team, and there has been a build up of hate which has exploded and created this tornado of hysteria.
“But what are the players guilty of? Cheating via Ball tampering and bringing the game into disrepute.”
Aussie broadcasting legend Jim Maxwell told ABC radio Smith was “really suffering” from the public outcry.
“I was on the plane yesterday with the Australian team and I just wanted to have a word to him, but I could see he was so shattered over it, that he didn’t want to be talking to anyone, understandably,” he said.
“In the more immediate sense I worry for Steve Smith’s psychological state.”
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