Australia speedster Pat Cummins has revealed that Steve Smith is pretty disappointed after not getting an early reprieve from the ball-tampering punishment.
Earlier this week, Cricket Australia upheld the ball-tampering suspensions on Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. While Smith and Warner were given 12-month bans, Bancroft was handed a nine-month suspension under CA's Code of Conduct for their roles in the disgraceful ball-tampering plot against South Africa at Newlands in March.
Bancroft's ban is due to expire on December 29 whereas Smith and Warner will not be eligible to return until March 29, 2019.
"I think he's pretty disappointed. I think he was hopeful of that getting lifted. But to be honest I think he's just over it all the speculation and talk. He's just over it. He wants to play some cricket," Cummins told cricket.com.au.
"There's some good T20 comps around the world coming up that hopefully he'll go and play. I think he's sick of all the talk. He said he's in a really good place. He's happy, he's playing obviously he'd love to be playing the Tests and everything else coming up. But he's just ready to get over it," he added.
The Australian Cricketers’ Association had pushed to lift the bans on tainted trio after an independent review by the Sydney-based Ethics Centre accused CA of only paying lip service to the spirit of the game and not doing anything for the moral guidance of players.
"CA maintains that both the length and nature of the sanctions remain an appropriate response in light of the considerable impact on the reputation of Australian cricket, here and abroad. Steve, David and Cameron are working hard to demonstrate their commitment to cricket and have our continued support to ensure their pathway to return is as smooth as possible," CA interim chairman Earl Eddings had said in a statement earlier this week.
CA's decision confirms that Smith and Warner will miss the Australian summer of cricket, which will see the men's team play Tests against India and Sri Lanka. While Smith is ineligible to hold a leadership position until mid-2020, Warner is banned from holding a similar position for the rest of his career.
