Big Bash says no to Steve Smith and David Warner

Steve Smith and David Warner won't be allowed to participate in the upcoming edition of the Big Bash, the tournament's head, Kim McConnie, has stated.

The duo, accused of ball tampering in the Sandpaper-gate during the controversial South Africa-Australia Test series in March, has been barred from playing international cricket, as well as domestic cricket in the country, by Cricket Australia for twelve months.

They participated in the Global T20 in Canada, but won't be allowed to play the 2018-19 Big Bash, with McConnie saying that CA's sanctions will be implemented and the green signal won't be given to the former Aussie captains.

Shane Watson, the former Australian all-rounder and a teammate of the tainted duo, had urged Cricket Australia to loosen the snooze and allow them to play Australia's premier T20 tournament.

However, McConnie was clear in his stance:

"Both players have done a really good job and accepted the ruling from Cricket Australia, and they won't be appearing in the BBL this season."

"I think every player who plays cricket, we love to think that they talk about the Big Bash and promote the tournament. But beyond being cricket players themselves that have a love of the format, there'll be no formal relationship."

"We've got so many heroes within our current league, and what we're going to be focusing on this season is really making sure that we bring some of those younger players that we're developing in our own system. So we're going to have some star power but it's also about promoting the generation coming through the T20 format as well," McConnie said, as quoted by AAP.

Watson, who retired from international cricket in 2016, but was part of the Chennai Super Kings in their IPL title triumph this year, said: "I understand the rulings, but for them to have the opportunity to go and promote other tournaments, I'd prefer if they're going to do that and have access to do that, they have access to promote the Big Bash, for example".

The 2018-19 edition of the Big Bash will commence from December.