Steve Smith arrives back in Australia after being sent home

A “GUTTED” Steve Smith repeatedly broke down as he took full responsibility for the ball tampering scandal.

A DEVASTATED Steve Smith has fronted the media at Sydney airport after being sent home from South Africa following the ball tampering scandal during the third Test.

Smith’s departure from Johannesburg sent shockwaves around the nation when he was shuffled through OR Tambo International airport “like a drug mule”.

He landed in Sydney around 6pm (AEDT), only an hour after his teammate Cameron Bancroft landed in Perth and addressed the media, and spent time with his father before addressing the awaiting media contingent.

“To all of my teammates, fans of cricket all over the world and to all Australians who are disappointed and angry ... I’m sorry,” Smith said.

“What happened in Cape Town has already been laid out by Cricket Australia.

“Tonight, I want to make clear that as captain of the Australia cricket team I take full responsibility.

“I made a serious error of judgment and I now understand the consequences. It was a failure of leadership, of my leadership.

“I’ll do everything I can to make up for my mistake and the damage it has caused.

“If any good can come from this, if it can be a lesson to others then I hope I can be a force for change.”

Steve Smith: Cricket is the greatest sport in the world. It's been my life and I hope it can be again. I'm sorry and I'm absolutely devastated.

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

The fallen captain said he was “absolutely gutted”, and that he would regret what had happened “for the rest of my life”.

“I hope in time I can earn back respect and forgiveness,” he said.

“I’ve been so privileged and honoured to represent my country and captain the Australian cricket team.

“Cricket is the greatest game in the world, it’s been my life and I hope it can be again.

“I’m sorry and I’m absolutely devastated.”

The distraught Smith then took questions from the media contingent and struggled to contain his emotions.

An emotional Steve Smith is comforted by his father Peter Picture: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images

“For me, I think my week has been around good people make mistakes and I’ve made a big mistake by allowing this to happen.

“It was a huge error of judgment on my behalf and I’m deeply sorry.

“I don’t blame anyone, I’m the captain of the Australian team. It’s on my watch and I take responsibility for the actions of what happened Saturday in Cape Town.:

The most crushing moment of the emotional press conference came after Smith was asked how this could impact the kids who look up to him.

With his father, Peter, standing behind with his hand on his son’s shoulder, Smith broke down when he answered and spoke about his mum and dad.

“I love the game of cricket and entertaining kids. I love kids wanting to play the great game of cricket that I love,” Smith said.

“Any time you think about making a questionable decision, think about who you’re affecting, you’re affecting your parents and to see the way my old man and my mum ... it hurts.

“I just want to say I’m sorry for the pain that I guess I’ve brought to Australia and the fans and the public. It’s devastating and I’m truly sorry.”

A distraught Steve Smith addresses the media at Sydney airport.

The skipper who was once compared to the legendary Donald Bradman has seen his career disintegrate over the past week.

One of three men involved in the scandal, along with David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, it is Smith who teammates, staff and commentators have been most worried about.

Widespread reports questioned Smith’s ability to deal with a 12-month ban.

However early signs indicate this sentence won’t spell the end for Smith.

Before Smith and Bancroft fronted the media, the Australian Cricketer’s Association 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.

Well then. ACA raises serious questions about CA process by which Smith, Warner, Bancroft bans imposed. Hearing to come? pic.twitter.com/ANX8VLeQyv

— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) March 29, 2018

“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;

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.”

The Cameron Bancroft press conference has ended. He has apologised for what he did, said he will let his actions speak for him as 'words don't mean much in these circumstances' and has vowed to regain the respect of the cricket community.

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

Cameron Bancroft looked completely shattered as he sat in front of an awaiting media pack in a room at the WACA.

He fought back tears as he spoke about the incident that has consumed the world of cricket over the past week.

“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.

“It’s something I’ll regret for rest of my life.”

FAF FEELS FOR SMITH

South African skipper Faf du Plessis has sided with the fallen Steve Smith and stated he sent the former Australian captain a message during the fallout.

“I do feel sorry for Steve, I have a lot of compassion for what he’s going through,” du Plessis said.

“I think he’s one of the good guys and he’s just been caught in a bad place. And he’s obviously taken responsibility for that.

“Certainly we’re not sitting in a glass house thinking we’re better than them in that aspect. For me it’s a mistake that was made.

“I feel, and it’s easier said than done, they can move on now from that. The penalty is obviously harsh and quite hard on him.

“But I do have quite a bit of compassion for what he’s going through and you know it’s not nice.

“You don’t want to see any cricketer or any person go through that amount of pain, I do feel for what he’s going through as a captain.

“As a leader he would have tried to put his identity into the Australian team and perhaps now that chance has been taken away from him, it’s not nice.

“To be the captain of your country is a huge honour and I know, you can see the disappointment, I do really feel sorry for him.”

Du Plessis: I did send (Smith) a text. From a really deep place in my heart I feel for the guy. It's going to be incredibly hard for him over the next few days. He was really good. He appreciated the message. There is a lot of respect between the 2 of us

— Chris Barrett (@ChrisBarrett_) March 29, 2018