Steve Smith and David Warner have been suspended for a year by Cricket Australia for their roles in the ball tampering incident in South Africa. The incident took place in the third Test against South Africa at Newlands.
The player who actually tampered with the ball, Cameron Bancroft was also handed a nine month suspension.
Smith and Warner who were the captain and vice-captain respectively have also been suspended from captaining Australia for the next 2 years.
All three players will have the right to challenge their verdicts and also the duration of their penalties via a CA code of behaviour hearing with an independent commissioner.
The bans would still enable all three guilty parties to play in next year’s Cricket World Cup in England which starts on May 30.
Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the affair “bitterly disappointed the whole nation”.
Cricket Australia found that Bancroft used sandpaper to damage the ball during the Test Match. This was in contrast to Smith and Bancroft said when they claimed to have used yellow tape.
In its statement Cricket Australia said the players would be permitted to play Australian club cricket and will be encouraged to do so.
Wicketkeeper Tim Paine will take over as captain at the Wanderers.