Cameron Bancroft caught out in new Ashes footage

It might not be the first time that Cameron Bancroft has tampered with the cricket ball as new footage emerges.

A still from video showing Australian cricketer Cameron Bancroft spooning sugar into his and then to his pocket ahead of the 5th test during the recent Ashes series. Picture: Supplied

Has Cameron Bancroft ball-tampered before?

England quick Stuart Broad has called into question Australia’s tactics in the recent Ashes series — in which they decimated England 4-0 — as footage emerged of Bancroft pouring sugar into his pocket, before taking the field in the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The theory is that the sugar could be used to rough up one side of the ball, make it sticky and also swing more through the air.

Broad did not mince his words when asked about the recent debacle in South Africa, where Bancroft was found to have used sticky yellow tape covered with granules of dirt to rough up the ball.

Sand against South Africa and Sugar against England, that's @CricketAus weapon of choice to tamper the cricket ball. In this clip from Ashes #Bancroft is seen putting sugar in his pocket.
Wonder what they must have used against India? #SandpaperGate pic.twitter.com/EFZLf88Z8p

— Ankiit Koomar (@AnkiitKoomar) March 26, 2018

Broad called into question why the Australians would change their method of altering the ball.

“I saw Steve Smith say it was the first time they have tried it (using impregnated tape to tamper with the ball),” Broad said

“To me, it’s surprising — why they would change a method that’s been working?

“If you look at the Ashes series we’ve just played, they reverse swung the ball in nearly all of those Test matches sometimes in conditions where you wouldn’t expect the ball to reverse.

“I don’t understand why they have changed their method for this one game.”

Bancroft landed in hot water during the third Test against the Proteas at Newlands for being caught applying the tape to the ball in an effort to rough it up before he was caught in the act by television cameras, and then infamously shoved the tape down his pants.

Skipper Steve Smith said after that day’s play that he deeply regretted the actions undertaken by the team but maintained it was the first time the Australians had tampered with the ball.

“It was a poor choice and we deeply regret our actions. The coaches weren’t involved. It was purely the leadership group who came up with this,” Smith said.

“We saw this game as such an important game. We’ve seen the ball reversing through this series and this ball didn’t seem like it was going to go. It’s such poor actions. Deeply regrettable.

“I am embarrassed. I know the boys in the shed are embarrassed as well. Being the leader, I am incredibly sorry. If we weren’t caught, I would still regret it.

“You can ask questions as much as you like but I promise you this is the first time it has happened.”

Much like Smith’s future as captain those claims have now been brought under scrutiny in light of the footage from the Sydney Test.

Smith and vice-captain David Warner have been stood down from their leadership roles by Cricket Australia, who announced their full findings into the embarrassing incident will be released on Wednesday, Australian time.

CA chairman David Peever said the board of directors had been fully briefed on the issue as it stands, and he expected there would be information to share publicly within 48 hours.

“The Cricket Australia Board has been fully updated on the issue and supports James travelling to South Africa to manage the response to the investigation currently underway,” Peever said.

“We expect to be able to fully update the Australian public on the findings on Wednesday morning.”

That news will come just 48 hours before the fourth Test is set to start in Johannesburg with the Aussies also reeling from a shocking capitulation at Newlands that saw them rolled for just 107 in the second innings as Morne Morkel took 5-23 to hand the Proteas a 322 run victory and a 2-1 series lead.