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Banned Steve Smith 4-5 to regain captaincy

Australia trio suspended for ball tampering in South Africa

The umpires confront Australia's Cameron Bancroft and Steven Smith in Cape Town
The umpires confront Australia's Cameron Bancroft and Steven Smith in Cape TownCredit: Gallo Images

Australia's vice-captain David Warner is 6-4 with Betway not to play another Test match for the Baggy Greens after he and captain Steve Smith were banned for a year for their part in the ball-tampering controversy in South Africa.

Cameron Bancroft, caught on camera using sandpaper to rough up the ball during the third Test against the Proteas, has been suspended for nine months and is 5-6 with Betway to add to his eight Test caps.

The firm expect Smith's rehabilitation to be more straightforward than Warner's – the deposed captain is 1-3 to play in Australia's first Test after the end of his ban and 4-5 to regain the Test captaincy by December 31, 2020.

Warner is 4-6 for an immediate return to the team while fellow opener Bancroft, who has made only three fifties in his first eight Tests, is 6-4 to play the first Test after his suspension has been served.

The Cricket Australia bans cover international and domestic Australian fixtures, leaving the trio available to play in overseas domestic competitions.


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However, Smith and Warner have both been banned from the upcoming Indian Premier League season, which starts on April 7.

Warner, last season's leading runscorer in the IPL, had been due to captain Hyderabad Sunrisers once again while Smith was set to lead Rajasthan Royals. Bet365 and Sky Bet pushed the Sunrisers out from 5-1 to 13-2 for the title after the confirmation that Warner would not be available for the tournament.

All three players will have served their bans by the time of the next Ashes series in England in 2019 but Ladbrokes have eased Australia from 8-11 to 11-10 to win that series.

Smith is 2-1 to be the top Aussie runscorer in next year's Ashes, with Warner 6-1, and coach Darren Lehmann is 5-4 to still be in charge at the start of the 2019 series.

Australia have called up Matt Renshaw, Glenn Maxwell and Joe Burns for the fourth and final Test against South Africa, which starts at 9am on Friday.

The Aussies, who will be captained by wicketkeeper Tim Paine, are 4-1 for a victory that would square the series 2-2 but the Proteas are 8-15 favourites in Johannesburg.

Betway – S Smith to play another Test: 1-10 yes, 11-2 no; D Warner to play another Test: 1-2 yes, 6-4 no; C Bancroft to play another Test: 5-6 yes, 5-6 no.


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James MiltonRacing Post Sport

Published on 28 March 2018inCricket tips

Last updated 14:52, 28 March 2018

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