Decision on banned trio to come this week

The determination on whether bans imposed on Test trio Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft will be altered is expected within days, as the Cricket Australia Board considers a formal submission to have them lifted.

In the wake of last month’s release of an independent culture review conducted by the Sydney-based Ethics Centre, the Australian Cricketers’ Association indicated it would be “relentless” in their push to have the penalties lifted.

In line with that pledge, the ACA wrote to the CA Board citing “new evidence” contained in the Ethics Centre Review – which found that an “arrogant” and “controlling” culture within CA had promulgated a “win without counting the cost” philosophy that was partly responsible for the ball-tampering episode – as grounds to have penalties quashed.

The CA Board has undergone a significant overhaul since that action was foreshadowed, with Chair David Peever standing down to be replaced by Earl Eddings, who continues to serve as interim Chair.

In addition, former Test captain Mark Taylor – who was the Board’s longest-serving member – also resigned with immediate effect, with his position also yet to be filled.

It is understood the CA Board will discuss the submission via a telephone hook-up early this week with an announcement on whether or not the sanctions will be altered to be made before week’s end.

Among the proposals the Board is expected to consider is the prospect of allowing the trio to return earlier-than-mandated to the JLT Sheffield Shield while adhering to the applied penalties for international cricket.

In the case of ex-Test skipper Smith and his former deputy Warner, those 12-month bans on representing their country in any format expire at the end of next March.

For Bancroft, who received a nine-month suspension from all first-class and international cricket, he would be able to resume playing for Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers in the KFC Big Bash League at the end of this year.

All three players are currently involved in Premier Cricket for their respective clubs in Perth and Sydney, as well as involvement in a number of community coaching appearances and other grassroots cricket activities.

It is unclear whether a decision to relax the bans and allow the trio to return to Shield cricket ahead of schedule would placate the ACA, which has been strident in its belief that the penalties should be immediately and unilaterally removed.

"My message to Cricket Australia is a simple one - these contrite men have been punished enough,” ACA President Greg Dyer said in announcing the union’s intention to lodge a submission last month.

“Let these contrite men play.”

However, one of the complexities the CA Board is believed to considering is whether any easing of the bans on Smith and Warner to allow them to return to Shield cricket in the new year would effectively prove unfair to Bancroft.

Former Test fast bowler Mitchell Johnson took to Twitter last night to point out that, if the penalties imposed on his ex-captain and vice-captain were to be lessened, then it would only be fair for a proportionately equal cut to be made to the lesser sanction handed to Bancroft.

Simon Katich, the former Test batter who recently worked with the ACA in a player liaison role, has previously aired his belief that the trio should serve the full term of their bans.

However, ex-Test coach Darren Lehmann – who resigned as a result of the cheating scandal that unfolded in South Africa – along with former national ODI captain George Bailey are among those who have echoed the call for the three players to be allowed to return to domestic cricket.

The bans handed down by CA in the aftermath of the ball-tampering episode, in which sandpaper was employed in an attempt to alter the condition of the ball during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town last March, were for breaches of CA’s Code of Conduct.

The ICC also issued penalties to Smith (one Test ban and fined his full match fee) for breaching the game’s spirit, and Bancroft (fined 75 per cent of his match fee) in line with the ICC Code as it applies to charges of altering the ball’s condition.

All three players were afforded the opportunity to appeal the CA penalties and have their cases heard by an independent commissioner, but opted to waive that right and, instead, accepted the bans.