No South Africa investigation into Bancroft tampering even as Broad questions Australia's Ashes win

Cape Town, March 25: Cricket South Africa (CSA) will not launch its own investigation into the ball-tampering scandal that has hit the country's third Test against Australia in Cape Town. The tourists on Saturday admitted an attempt to alter the condition of the ball after Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera rubbing it with yellow tape. Captain Steve Smith and deputy David Warner have stood down from their leadership positions until the end of the Test for their part in the plot.

Captaincy hangs in the balance

But Proteas team manager Mohammed Moosajee says the matter, from a disciplinary perspective, will be left to the ICC.

That #SteveSmith along with other senior players planned Ball Tampering is disappointing, but he involved young Cameron Bancroft in the plan is disgraceful. I believe he should take responsibility & step down from captaincy immediately to set a better example instead. #AusVsSa

— R P Singh (@rpsingh) March 25, 2018

"The process is very much in the match referee and the ICC's hands," he said.

"I think the fact that Australia has admitted to what they have done... It certainly comes across as very unfortunate and there's no place for that in cricket at all.

"Certainly, [there will be] no investigation from CSA. I'm not sure what the ICC's position is on that, but as far as we are concerned, we leave it for the ICC, for them to make a call on what the next steps are and what the sanctions are going to be."

The Godfather Down Under:

The captain and 'leadership group' hatch a plan.
They pick a 'hitman' for the 'job'.
Get Busted.
Omerta kicks in.
Will plot, cheat and lie, but wont talk. So honorable.#SandpaperGate #SAvsAUS #Bancroft #SteveSmith #AussieCheats

— kasturi shankar (@KasthuriShankar) March 24, 2018

Moosajee did, however, reveal his surprise that no action was taken at the time a potential infringement was first alerted to the umpires.

"I'm surprised in the sense that they didn't change the ball because the condition had not been affected," he added.

"My understanding of the rules, if there is evidence like that then they should have changed the ball and a five-run penalty should have been awarded."

It took the cricket world one year to agree with Virat Kohli, that Steven Smith is a cheat #SAvAUS #Bancroft #SteveSmith

— Kallol Sarkar (@kallol_ss) March 24, 2018

Tim Paine has stepped in as captain for day four of the Test, although Smith, Warner and Bancroft remain in the team.

Meanwhile, England's Stuart Broad has questioned why Australia moved away from the bowling methods that served them so well during the Ashes.

"I've only seen the series from afar but, between two brilliant teams, it has seemed to be marred by off-the-field things - the [Kagiso] Rabada stuff, now the ball-tampering issue," Broad said after day four of England's Test with New Zealand, where they trail by 237 runs.

This isn't the first time a Steve Smith team has cheated. If authorities had listened to Virat Kohli & team India they would have properly punished the cheating out of Australia by now. #stevesmith #SAvsAUS pic.twitter.com/FJvV7OatL3

— Asjad Nazir (@asjadnazir) March 25, 2018

"It's a real shame. I saw Steve Smith in his press conference say it's the first time they've tried it, which to me seems really surprising they've changed a method that's been working.

"Look at the Ashes series we've just played, look through all of those Test matches and they reverse swing the ball sometimes in conditions you wouldn't expect the ball to reverse. So I don't understand why they've changed their method for this one game."

Asked if that could mean Australia also tampered during the Ashes, Broad replied: "I don't know - Steve's said it's the first time they've tried it so he's saying they have [changed their methods].

"And there was no evidence they were doing this in the Ashes series from what I've seen."

Source: OPTA