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Aussie opener Cameron Bancroft has landed himself in some very deep trouble after footage emerged of him tampering with the ball during the third Test against South Africa at Cape Town today.
A video showed Bancroft rubbing the ball with a yellow item (possibly sandpaper) that he took out of his pocket. After Bancroft finished what looked like shining the ball, the on-field umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth called him back and took a look at the ball.
As the umpires were analysing the condition of the ball, Bancroft seemingly took out the yellow item from his pocket and stuffed it inside his underpants.
Subsequently, Bancroft, the on-field umpires and Australian skipper Steve Smith were seen having a conversation about the incident. During that time, the Australian opener appeared to take a piece of cloth out of his pocket to show the umpires and not the item in question.
There wasn’t a five-run penalty awarded nor was the ball changed, something that generally happens when a fielder is found guilty of ball-tampering.
However, Bancroft will be facing a “please explain” from match referee Andy Pycroft who will re-evaluate the footage of the incident. Provided the 25-year-old is found guilty of ball tampering, he will receive three or four demerit points. Four demerit points will mean that Bancroft will miss the final Test at Johannesburg.
South African skipper Faf du Plessis was reportedly furious after the clips of Bancroft’s supposed ball tampering were shown in the South African dressing room.
Bancroft is Australia’s highest run-scorer in the series so far with 197 runs at an average of 39.40 with two fifties.
Questions about Australia tampering with the ball have been raised throughout the series as, during the first day of this very Test, Pat Cummins appeared to tread on the ball. However, the umpires did not deem it deliberate and found no reason to penalise him.
Earlier in the series, Aussie coach Darren Lehmann stated that both sides would try different techniques to get the ball to reverse swing.
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