Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Steve Smith and David Warner, the former captain and vice-captain of Australia, who are currently serving 12-month bans, have been cleared to play grade cricket in their home country.
The situation of Cameron Bancroft, the third player to be banned by Cricket Australia (CA) over the ball-tampering scandal, is not so clear-cut.
A meeting next Monday (May 14) between Western Australia’s Premier clubs will decide his fate, a report on the cricket.com.au website indicates.
All three players were banned by CA in March after they were found guilty of colluding to tamper with the ball during a Test against South Africa at Newlands.
The ban saw the trio banned from international and domestic cricket, but CA said it wanted the players to play club cricket, or 'grade' cricket as they call it in Australia.
The New South Wales Cricket Association (NSWCA) said it wouldn’t stand in the way of Smith and Warner, ensuring they would be available to play for Sutherland and Randwick-Petersham, their respective club sides.
However, the Western Australia District Cricket Council is unique in Australia’s grade cricket system in that its committee is independent of the state body.
It will therefore have the final say on Bancroft’s involvement.
