Australian Cricketers’ Association wants ban on Steve Smith to be curtailed

In March this year when Australia's tour of South Africa was engulfed by a big ball tampering issue, the Australian cricket had decided to suspend the three cricketers for a year. Now, with the Australian team not doing well, the Australian Cricketers’ Association has come out and sought a curtailment on the duration of the punishment for the cricketers. The Association has also stated that the events were a result of too much pressure on the players to perform.

"The events in South Africa were in part a by-product of a culture and system which, amongst other things, placed too much pressure on players to win," said ACA President Greg Dyer, a former Test wicketkeeper.

The three players were accused of using sandpaper to alter the conditions of the ball to induce help in the form of movement that was a level two offence under ICC rules. Subsequently, Steve Smith and David Warner were handed a ban of twelve months whereas Cameron Bancroft was handed a nine-month ban from international as well as domestic matches. 

"Basic fairness demands these independently verified contributing factors must now be taken into consideration and the penalties reduced. There must be a reconsideration of the harshness of the penalties handed down to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft".

Asserting that an independent review of the incident by an ethicist has put the onus for the incident on the management of Australian cricket, the Association demanded that the punishment term of the players should be reduced.