Australian cricket coach Darren Lehmann quits on incredible day for the game

AUSTRALIA’S cricket coach Darren Lehmann has announced he will quit after the fourth Test. His shock announcement follows Steve Smith’s emotional press conference in Sydney.

• Darren Lehmann quits as Australian coach

• Steve Smith says he will regret his decision for the rest of his life

• Cameron Bancroft says his actions compromised his values

• David Warner promises to address the media in coming days

AUSTRALIAN cricket coach Darren Lehmann says he will quit the post in the wake of the ball-tampering saga. Lehmann, who took over as coach of the side in 2013, announced his intentions to stand down at a press conference in Johannesburg on Thursday. The tearful former Australian batsman said the Test starting on Friday would be his last in charge.

“Speaking to the players and saying goodbye, telling them the news. That was the toughest thing I’ve ever had to do,” Lehmann said. “Watching those two young men (Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft break down in tears) ... it’s been unbelievable.” Lehmann was set to step down when his current contract expired at the end of the 2019 Ashes, but the cheating scandal has forced him to reconsider that plan. A sleep-deprived Lehmann thanked his family for support, overlooking World Cup glory and Ashes series wins when asked to nominate his proudest moment as coach. “The way we dealt with Phillip Hughes,” Lehmann sobbed. “We’re only playing a game. “We lost a great young man and the way we tried to deal with that was my proudest moment as coach.” Earlier dumped Australian captain Steve Smith has broken down in tears at a press conference at Sydney Airport tonight as he claimed full responsibility for the ball tampering scandal that has rocked Australian cricket. “I take full responsibility, I made a serious error of judgement and I understand the consequences. It was a failure of leadership,” he said. “I’m sorry. I’m absolutely devastated.” “I’ll do everything I can to make up for my mistake and the damage it’s caused. “If any good can come of this, if there can be a lesson to others then I hope I can be a force for change. I know I’ll regret this for the rest of my life. I’m absolutely gutted. I hope in time I can earn back respect and forgiveness.” While many pundits have expressed doubts that the ball tampering affair in Cape Town was a one-off incident, Smith made it clear that he had never encountered anything like it on his watch. “To my knowledge this has never happened before,” he said. His advice to young players in the game was to think deeply about making any questionable decisions as a cricketer. Recap all of today’s news in the live blog below

Originally published as Australian cricket coach Darren Lehmann quits on incredible day for the game

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