Steve Smith breaks down during the press conference in Sydney
Australia's tainted captain Steven Smith, now sacked from captaincy and dropped from the side, broke down in a press conference upon his arrival home from South Africa after indulging in ball-tampering. Smith apologized to followers of the game all over for bringing the sport and his country into disrepute by attempting to change the condition of the ball at Cape Town. “To all of my teammates, to fans of cricket all over the world and to all Australians who are disappointed and angry. I'm sorry,” he said, appearing teary-eyed.
Repeatedly breaking down while answering a barrage of questions from the local media, whom he was facing for the first time since confessing about the offense alongside Cameron Bancroft, Smith hoped to earn back the respect of the fans and his countrymen with time. “If any good can come of this, if there can be a lesson to others then I hope I can be a force for change. I know I'll regret this for the rest of my life. I'm absolutely gutted. I hope in time I can earn back respect and forgiveness,” were his words in Sydney.
Cricket Australia banned Smith and his deputy David Warner for one year each for leading the way in the scandal, with Bancroft, as the youngest and the newest member of the side, made to rub one side of the ball with a sandpaper on the third day of the Cape Town Test. The 28-year-old confessed yet again that as the captain of the side, he should have never allowed this to happen.
“Good people make mistakes and I've made a big mistake by allowing this to happen. It's a huge error in judgment, I'm sorry. I know I will regret this for the rest of my life. I'm absolutely gutted. I hope in time I can earn back respect and forgiveness. Cricket is the greatest sport in the world. It's been my life. I'm sorry and absolutely devastated,” he uttered while unable to control his emotions in front of the cameras.
Bancroft, on his part, was banned for nine months, and himself spoke earlier in the day for the first time after the incident, revealing his regret for carrying out the task. "I love the game of cricket and playing for my nation and my state, there is no greater pride for me. I am extremely disappointed and regret my actions. I am sorry to the people who have looked up to me around the world, especially the kids,” he said on his return home to Perth.
While Smith and Bancroft have been barred from leading Australia for the next two years, Warner will not be able to take any leadership position for his country for the rest of his career. All three players are free to challenge the decision of Cricket Australia, though none has made any such intentions clear thus far.