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Australia's Smith and Bancroft accept year-long bans
Australia's Steve Smith

STEVE SMITH and Cameron Bancroft will not appeal against the bans they received from Cricket Australia for their roles in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, the pair announced today.

Smith, the top-ranked batsman in test cricket, was banned by Cricket Australia for 12 months after TV cameras picked up evidence of Bancroft using sandpaper to roughen one side of the ball during the third cricket Test against South Africa in Cape Town last month.

Vice-captain David Warner, who was found to be the instigator of a plot to tamper with the ball, was also suspended for 12 months. Bancroft received a nine-month ban.

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