Darren Lehmann Says Cameron Bancroft Should’ve Approached The Coaching Staff Before Ball-Tampering Incident

Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann believes Cameron Bancroft should have consulted the coaching staff after David Warner urged him to use sandpaper to tamper the ball during the Cape Town Test against South Africa in March this year.

Lehmann on the ball-tampering scandal

Lehmann was then the coach of Australia when the incident took place way back in March in South Africa. He explained that he would have liked Bancroft to approach him before going forward with the ball-tampering ploy out on the ground.

Yeah, he could’ve and should’ve (come to the coaches), I think he says that. He should’ve come to us, at the end of the day it was a mistake — we know that. (It was) a severe mistake made by the guys and a lot of people have suffered one way or the other through that. We know it shouldn’t have happened, but it did.” Darren Lehmann told Macquarie Sports Radio on Wednesday.

Moreover, after an investigation from Cricket Australia, it was revealed that David Warner was the mastermind behind the plot. Bancroft was banned for nine months for his part in the ball-tampering saga. The right-handed opener claimed that Warner suggested him to carry out the action.

“Dave suggested to me to carry the action out on the ball given the situation we were in the game, and I didn’t know any better,” Cameron Bancroft said.

“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.” he added.

Furthermore, Lehmann stepped down from coaching after the sand-paper scandal. He said that captain Steven Smith, who was suspended for 12 months along with Warner, should have had more control over the situation.

“Smith as captain, his disappointing thing that he spoke about was as captain of the country he should’ve had more control of it,” Darren Lehmann concluded.