Cameron Bancroft Opens Up on Life After Ball-tampering Fiasco

Nobody was perhaps hit as hard as Australian opening batsman Cameron Bancroft by the ball-tampering scandal. Unlike David Warner and Steven Smith, two others involved in the scandal, Bancroft was just finding his feet in the game.

Western Australian batter Bancroft was well on his way to cementing his place in the Test team. A decent outing in the Ashes was followed by a couple of good knocks in South Africa.

In five innings, he had struck two fifties including the 77-run knock in the first innings of the Cape Town Test before the self-imposed disaster struck at the Cape Town in March, this year.

Promising batsman Bancroft was sensationally caught rubbing sandpaper on the ball in order to alter its state, and the repercussions soon followed.

The world cricket body ICC banned skipper  Smith for one match before Cricket Australia (CA) dealt with the matter separately.

It banned Smith and his deputy Warner for a year and handed Bancroft a nine-month ban. The ban was a huge blow for the youngster who had played just eight Tests till then.

Moreover, it has been over three months since the scandal took place in South Africa. And the opening batsman is now all ready to resume playing competitive cricket.

Speaking for the first time since his emotional arrival press conference after being sent home from South Africa, Bancroft said he is eyeing a successful return to international cricket following a ‘rollercoaster’ ride.

“The last couple of months have been a bit of a rollercoaster. You certainly ride the waves of grieving,” Bancroft said. 

“There have been times where I’ve felt really sad. There have been times where I’ve felt really angry. Right now I’m feeling really good though,” he maintained.

“But overall, I’ve worked really hard on myself. Been really busy with a lot of things. And right now it’s just another step forward. Heading up to Darwin to play some cricket and I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.

The 25-year-old Bancroft will return to competitive cricket through the Northern Territory’s Strike League.

On the other hand, Smith and Warner had already made their comebacks in Global T20 Canada League.

The exciting talent Bancroft further opened up on the episode that kept him out of the game. The right-handed batter also admitted that he was ‘accountable’ for whatever happened.

“I can’t change what happened in South Africa. And that’s something I’m completely accountable for,” Bancroft said. 

“Everything since South Africa I’ve moved towards stepping closer to one day getting back and playing cricket for Australia again. What anyone else thought or said didn’t change the fact that I made a really bad decision.  I’ve had to really forgive myself for that error I made,” he remarked.

“When you’re in the media a lot, good or bad, it can be really challenging to deal with. Really changeling to digest the different opinion that flies around,” he said.

“Because that’s what it was, there was a lot of opinion, a lot of people saying things. For me, in that situation, it was about me and my mistake and the poor decision I made. It’s all a part of moving forward with it all. The media reacted appropriately to the situation and what happened and I have no anger or judgment or resentment for that,” he added.

Bancroft went on to say that he was in regular touch with Smith and Warner which helped the trio get through ‘these difficult times’.

“I speak to them quite regularly, at least every week. Whether that’s a phone call or messages, they’re obviously very busy with some things too. They’re two really great people and we’ve been looking after each other. That’s a value that we really hold closely at the WACA, is this idea of looking after your mates. We’ve been going through all of this together and we definitely look out for each other, that’s for sure,” he said.

Cameron Bancroft concluded by expressing his love for the game and the desire to don the Australian jersey once again.

“I love the game, I love playing cricket and as hard as it would seem to connect how learning Spanish links to playing cricket for Australia again they’re all little stepping stones to me achieving that dream again,” he concluded.