David Warner Encouraged Me to Tamper the Ball - Cameron Bancroft
Updated - 09 Jan 2019, 06:51 PM
The banned Australian opening batsman Cameron Bancroft has opened up on the ball-tampering scandal of Cape Town Test match. Bancroft has claimed that it was Australia’s vice-captain David Warner who encouraged him to alter the condition of the ball. Australia had their backs against the wall in the Cape Town Test and Warner and Bancroft thought they could make a comeback by tampering the ball.
Bancroft said that he wanted to fit in the team and feel valued. Thus, he decided to use the sandpaper. However, things didn’t go as planned for the rookie batsman. Subsequently, the opener was banned for a period of nine months which turned his career up-side-down.
David Warner was the mastermind behind the idea.
“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. In fact, I would have felt like I had let the team down. I would have left like I had hurt our chances to win the game of cricket.
In fact, it was also reported by Cricket Australia report that David Warner was the mastermind behind the idea of tampering. Warner was handed over a ban of one year and he cannot hold a leadership role ever in Australian cricket. On the other hand, Bancroft has admitted his mistake and the effects of his actions.
“I take no other responsibility but the response 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.”
Cameron Bancroft will return to action when he will take the field on December 30 for the match between Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers in the ongoing Big Bash League 2018-19.
