Former Australia batsman Adam Voges said it was the unwavering devotion from Cameron Bancroft to his teammates that made him carry out the orders of ball tampering.
Aussie skipper Steven Smith admitted to the fact that the leadership group discussed it during lunch and Bancroft was given the job to carry out the tampering.
The decision on Smith and Bancroft would be out by the ICC soon. Bancroft said he was in “the wrong place at the wrong time” when the leadership team asked him to carry out an entirely wrong act which was against the spirit of the game.
Voges was Bancroft’s leader in 32 Sheffield Shield matches between 2013-2017 and said the actions carried out by him during the Cape Town test was “completely out his character”.
“Cameron Bancroft is the kind of guy that would do anything for the team,” Voges told cricket.com.au at Newlands where he is on deck as part of SEN’s live radio coverage of the series.
“That probably sums up his willingness to do something that I’m sure morally and ethically was against what he wanted to do. But if the team asks Cameron to do something he’ll do it for them. I was completely shattered when I saw the footage and being in the press conference with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft last night and (watching) them admit guilt of trying to alter the condition of the ball.
“My initial reaction is that it’s not something I know Cameron Bancroft to be a part of.It’s completely out of his character. My initial reaction is that certainly wasn’t an idea he came up with by himself.”
The Australian opener was charged by match referee Andy Pycroft under Level 2 Offence. He attempted to tamper the condition of the ball. Bancroft has accepted the charge and will get penalised on Sunday.
Match referee Andy Pycroft charged Bancroft with a Level 2 offence of attempting to alter the condition of the ball. It is understood he has accepted the sanction, with the penalty set to be delivered on Sunday.
Voges admitted the next few days would be very difficult for Bancroft in South Africa.
“He’s still new to Test cricket, this is only his eighth game,” he said. “The scrutiny and spotlight will turn on him for the duration of this Test match and the rest of the series. It’ll be tough for him, there’s no doubt about it.”
Voges also resigned to the fact the ball tampering charges levelled against him will be a major blow to his rising career.
“I thought the way he batted in the first innings (77 from 103 balls) was as well as I’ve seen him play, particularly in Test cricket in some really trying conditions,” Voges said.
He was really starting to establish himself, and this is going to be a blow to his career, there’s no doubt about that, and he’ll have to live with that.
Hopefully, he can come out in this second innings and do a job for the Australians,” he concluded.
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