From 'dirt in the pocket' to 'Sandpaper Gate': A look at two of Cricket's biggest ball-tampering scandals 

#1 Sandpaper Gate- The Pre-Meditated affair

Cameron Bancroft caught ball tampering

When: Australia vs South Africa, Newlands, 2018

Things took a devastating turn when Australia's opener Cameron Bancroft was caught on the camera whilst trying to apply a foreign substance to the ball in a bid to collect soil granules from the abrasive side of the pitch.

The display of the damning footage on the big screen caused panic in the Aussie dressing room and the sub-fielder Peter Handscomb was flown into a frenzy by a seemingly shocked Darren Lehman to alert Bancroft. Bancroft spunged the paper under his trousers and that was caught by the camera as well.

Cameron, who was charged with a Level-2 offence under the ICC code of conduct, admitted to the allegations in the post-match conference. However, things took a turn when Steve Smith admitted that the leadership group was aware of it when questioned about his role in the incident.

The way Smith admitted to the allegations clearly showed his ignorance towards the magnanimity of the scandal, it simply beggared belief. And the Aussie reputation of raising fingers on the opposition about the spirit and integrity of the game whilst assuming themselves as the paragon of the game has done no good either.

The wheels have started to fall off with Smith reprimanded with a one-match suspension and cent percent of his match fee, but it threatens to masquerade to disastrous proportion with Cricket Australia investigating into the matter following a furore from the Australian Prime Minister.