Disgraced cricketer David Warner has announced he will not fight his year-long ban from the game for cheating.
The former Australia vice-captain, who masterminded a shameful ball-tampering plot against South Africa last month, released a statement on Twitter this afternoon.
He wrote: ‘I have today let Cricket Australia know that I fully accept the sanctions imposed on me. I am truly sorry for my actions and will now do everything I can to be a better person, teammate and role model.’
Disgraced cricketer David Warner has announced he will not fight his year-long ban from the game for cheating
The former Australia vice-captain, who masterminded a shameful ball-tampering plot against South Africa last month, released a statement on Twitter this afternoon
The batsman joins former captain Steve Smith and rookie opener Cameron Bancroft in accepting the lengthy bans after intense speculation they would challenge them.
Smith and vice-captain David Warner were banned from top level Australian cricket and from the national team for year.
Batsman Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months. The trio can still play grade cricket at home or for any club abroad.
Smith and Warner’s $2.4million contacts to play in India were torn up after the Indian Premier League decided to ‘stand with’ Cricket Australia.
Bancroft is due to play for English side Somerset but the club is yet to decide if it will still have him.
Disgraced cricketer Cameron Bancroft (pictured with his girlfriend) has joined former captain Steve Smith in not contesting the ban he received for his role in the ball-tampering scandal
This is the moment Bancroft was caught cheating by shoving sandpaper down his pants after using it to alter the ball
Bancroft said on Wednesday that he accepted his ban and added: ‘I would love to put this behind me and will do whatever it takes to earn back the trust of the Australian public.’
‘Thank you to all those who have sent messages of support.’
Smith, who turned a blind eye to his teammates’ ball-tampering plot on 24 March, also released a statement on Twitter.
He said: ‘I would give anything to have this behind me and be back representing my country.
Disgraced cricketer Steve Smith has announced he will not challenge his year-long ban from the game for cheating
The former Australian captain, who turned a blind eye to his teammates’ ball-tampering against South Africa last month, released a statement on Twitter
Australian cricket captain Steve Smith and partner Dani Willis pose for a photograph as they arrive for the Allan Border Medal award ceremony in Sydney on January 23, 2017
Axed Australian cricket captain Steve Smith is escorted by Police officers as he leaves the International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa on March 28, 2018
‘But I meant what I said about taking full responsibility as Captain of the team.
‘I wont be challenging the sanctions. They’ve been imposed by CA to send a strong message and I have accepted them.’
Before Thursday’s announcement, Warner repeatedly refused to answer questions on whether he would appeal as the Australian cricketers’ union said the year-long bans were disproportionate.
On Tuesday the disgraced batsman walked through Melbourne airport with his ironwoman wife Candice while appearing to be on the phone as he was approached by a reporter.
David Warner again refused to answer questions about the ball-tampering scandal as he touched down at Melbourne airport
The disgraced batsman walked through the terminal with his ironwoman wife Candice while appearing to be on the phone as he was approached
He said: ‘Can I just give you a buzz back mate – I’m being hounded by a channel 10 reporter’ before hanging up.
He said: ‘Can I just give you a buzz back mate – I’m being hounded by a channel 10 reporter’ before hanging up.
Warner then repeatedly ignored questions on whether he is going to appeal as his silent wife remained expressionless.
Mrs Warner walked alongside her husband and held his hand once he put his phone in his pocket.
When the pair got to a pedestrian crossing outside the building, Warner told the reporter to ‘watch out’ for traffic and walked on.
Warner was widely criticised for his heavily scripted and melodramatic press conference on Saturday in which he spectacularly failed to shed light on the decision to cheat against South Africa on March 24.
He refused to answer questions on who was responsible for the plot during the conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Australia’s captain Steve Smith leads his team including David Warner (right), off the field after their defeat on the fourth day of the second Test cricket match between South Africa and Australia on March 12
‘A sad day for Australian cricket’: How the cheating scandal unfolded
The ball-tampering incident took place during the Saturday afternoon session in Cape Town and was picked up by TV cameras.
A small, yellow object was seen in batsman Cameron Bancroft’s hands after he had worked on the ball, the opener later revealing it to be a piece of tape covered in dirt.
He was later captured taking it from his pocket and placing it down his trousers, a few moments after being spoken to by the substitute Peter Handscomb, who had come onto the field after speaking to coach Darren Lehmann via walkie-talkie.
Although the two on-field umpires, Richard Illingworth and Nigel Llong of England, questioned Bancroft at the time, he produced what appeared to be a black sunglasses bag from his right pocket in way of explanation, in a bid to deceive the officials.
‘Once I was sighted on the big screens I panicked quite a lot and that resulted in me shoving it down my trousers,’ said Bancroft.
No action was taken at the time — the umpires could have changed the ball or docked Australia runs — but match officials, including referee Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe, were able to review TV footage of the incident.
But after the day’s play, captain Steve Smith and Bancroft admitted the ball-tampering in a press conference.
Bancroft revealed: ‘We had a discussion during the (lunch) break and I saw an opportunity to use some tape, get some granules from the rough patches on the wickets and change the condition — it didn’t work, the umpires didn’t change the ball.’
Smith continued: ‘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.
The ball-tampering incident took place during the Saturday afternoon session in Cape Town and was picked up by TV cameras
‘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.’
Smith and vice-captain David Warner were sacked from their positions before play on Sunday. Bancroft was fined 75 per cent of his match fee.
Smith and Warner were banned from top level Australian cricket and from the national team for year. Bancroft was suspended for nine months. The trio can still play grade cricket at home or for any team abroad.