Australian Captain Steve Smith suspended for one Test match by ICC

Australia captain Steve Smith was on Sunday handed a one-match suspension and fined 100 percent of his match fee by ICC after he owned up to a ball-tampering conspiracy in South Africa. 

Smith admitted that he was party to a decision to attempt to change the condition of the ball in order to gain an unfair advantage during the third day's play in the Cape Town Test against South Africa on Saturday.

Additionally, Australia opener Cameron Bancroft has been fined 75 per cent of his match fee and handed three demerit points for



breaching Level 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the third day's play.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson laid the charge against Smith under Article 2.2.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel which prohibits to 'all types of conduct of a serious nature that is contrary to the spirit of the game'.

Smith accepted the charge and the proposed sanction of two suspension points which equates to a ban for the next Test match and which will see four demerit points added to his record.