Cameron Bancroft has returned to Australian shores

A SHATTERED Cameron Bancroft has fronted media at the WACA after returning home to Australia amid the ball-tampering scandal that’s earned him a nine-month ban.

A SHATTERED Cameron Bancroft has fronted a waiting media pack at the WACA after returning home to Australia amid the ball-tampering scandal that’s earned him a nine-month ban.

After landing at just before 5pm AEDT, Bancroft was ushered out of a back entry from Perth airport into an awaiting car with Western Australia coach Justin Langer riding alongside.

Bancroft fought back tears as he sat in front of a packed room at the WACA and spoke on the incident that “broke his heart”.

The embattled opener said he was “very sorry” for the scandal that’s rocked Australia and the cricket world, and said he was “extremely disappointed” and filled with regret.

Bancroft has been at the forefront of the media landscape since being busted by South African television camera trying to hide sandpaper down his pants during the third Test.

After being hit with a nine-month ban by Cricket Australia (CA), Bancroft was sent home from the ongoing series.

His return to Australian shores on Thursday evening coincided with former skipper Steve Smith touching down in Sydney. The “gutted” fallen skipper apologised and took full responsibility for the scandal, breaking down in tears as he revealed the toll it has taken on himself and his family.

David Warner broke his silence for the first time Thursday afternoon as he was also headed home, but wouldn’t address the media upon arrival.

Bancroft addressed the ball tampering scandal, which has consumed the cricketing world, in a brief and emotional press conference.

“Thank you very much for coming along everyone, I’ve had time to reflect on the events in Cape Town and on the punishments handed down to me by the ICC and CA,” Bancroft said.

“I want to say that I’m also very sorry. I love the game of cricket and playing for my nation and my state. There’s no greater pride for me.

“I’m extremely disappointed and regret my actions, I’m sorry to those people who have looked up to me in the cricket world and especially the kids.

“I know I’m a role model but haven’t acted like one in this instance. I understand I have let many people down and I understand the disappointment in the community.”

Bancroft being ushered through South African airport.

Bancroft acknowledged: “Words don’t mean much in these circumstances, so I’ll focus on my actions and conduct going forward.

“Not a second has gone by since last Saturday evening where I haven’t wished to turn back time and do the right thing during the lunch break.

“It’s something I’ll regret for rest of my life. It’s something I’ll look to improve on and earn the respect back of the community.

“All I can do in the short term is ask for forgiveness and hope you can find it in your hearts to let me progress on that journey.

“For now I’ll do my best to contribute to the community.”
Bancroft then responded to reporters’ questions with the first cab off the rank asking the opener why he lied about the sandpaper.

“Yes I lied, I lied about the sandpaper. I panicked, I panicked in that situation … I’m very sorry,” he admitted.

The under-siege opener refused to speak on behalf of Smith and Warner, instead opting to maintain his message of apologising for his part in the scandal.

“Through the last few days and sitting in my own company, the thing that breaks my heart the most is the fact that I’ve just given up my spot in the team for somebody else for free,” Bancroft said. “I have never, ever, been involved in a tampering incident and it completely compromises my values.”

After Cameron Bancroft finished taking questions, WACA CEO Christina Matthews confirmed that under current WACA rules he is not permitted to play grade cricket in the state due to his suspension but a rule change is under consideration

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 29, 2018

The 25-year-old has shown immense character since the scandal broke despite his nine-month suspension ruling him out of playing for Australia or in Australian first class cricket until December. An exact date of his return has not been officially released.

After earning his place in the Test side prior to the recent Ashes series, Bancroft has played only a total of eight Tests in his short Australian career.

The findings of Cricket Australia’s report pinned the incident on former vice-captain Warner as the architect of the plan to cheat, alleging he advised Bancroft how to alter the ball with sandpaper.

CA alleges Warner was solely responsible for the “development of a plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball”, instructing “a junior player to carry out a plan”, and providing “advice to a junior player regarding how a ball could be artificially altered, including demonstrating how it could be done”.

CA also claims Warner failed to “voluntarily report his knowledge of the plan after the match”, whereas Smith and Bancroft came clean.

ACA CALL FOR CULTURAL REVIEW

On Thursday the Australian Cricketer’s Association (ACA) responded to the sanctions handed down to the three players and sighted “glaring and clear anomalies”.

“Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft made very serious mistakes in South Africa,” the ACA statement read.

“It is right that these mistakes are sanctioned, and that must occur in a fair and proper way.

“There are a number of glaring and clear anomalies in the process to date which causes the ACA to query the severity and proportionality of the proposed sanctions.

“These are: The grading and sanctions proposed are considerably higher than the ICC’s grading and sanctions;

“The disproportionably between the proposed sanctions and those previously handed down in world cricket for ‘changing the condition of the ball’ — including by Captains of international teams applying artificial substances; The activation of CA’s Board as a deliberative body on the proposed sanctions;

Cam Bancroft during the Test series.

“That public statements by CA to date have not referenced consideration of contextual factors including the environment in South Africa during the series and the impacts on individual players; The rush to place players before the world’s media last Saturday night without the benefit of considered and coherent advice.

“The ACA continues to provide welfare and legal support to all players. This welfare support will be critical at a time where the network and environment of each of the three players must play an active role in their rehabilitation.

“The ACA has called for the proposed cultural review to be fully independent and to consider all relevant factors and context surrounding these acts. The examination must also extend to CA’s response and process following Saturday’s events.”