Bancroft Names the Person Who Encouraged Tampering

Just a year ago Aussie cricketer Cameron Bancroft was looking good in international cricket. He had a good run in the home Ashes as well as in the series against South Africa.

On tough and bouncy pitches in South Africa, Bancroft had scores of 53, 28, 24 and 77. He had everything to excel at the highest stage of the game.

However his world came crashing down when he was caught red-handed in a ball-tampering incident. The broadcasting cameras caught him using a sandpaper to alter the ball’s conditions and the repercussions soon followed.

As a result Bancroft’s promising career took an abrupt halt. The International Cricket Council (ICC) handed a lengthy ban to Bancroft, Steve Smith and David Warner, who were also part of the ball-tampering scandal.

While Steve and David were handed a one-year ban, Bancroft’s ban was for 9 months. They were banned from playing any kinds of international and first-class cricket.

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A startling revelation from Bancroft

Coming 29 December, Bancroft’s ban will be lifted and he will play for the Perth Scorchers in the ongoing Big Bash League.

However days before the upliftment of the ban, Bancroft revealed that it was Warner who encouraged him to go ahead with the ball-tampering. He also revealed that he did everything to fit in the team and get importance from his teammates.

“Dave [Warner] suggested to me to carry the action out on the ball given the situation we were in in the game and I didn’t know any better,” Bancroft told Fox Sports. “I didn’t know any better because I just wanted to fit in and feel valued, really — as simple as that.”

“The decision was based around my values, what I valued at the time and I valued fitting in … you hope that fitting in earns you respect and with that, I guess, there came a pretty big cost for the mistake. I would have gone to bed and I would have felt like I had let everybody down. I would have felt like I had let the team down. Would have left like I had hurt our chances to win the game of cricket,” he added.

However the promising young opener didn’t blame Warner for everything. He took the responsibility on himself for picking the wrong option.

“I take no other responsibility but the responsibility I have on myself and my own actions because I am not a victim. I had a choice and I made a massive mistake and that is what is in my control,” he added.