Did Bancroft tamper with the ball?

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Cameron Bancroft accused ball tampering yellow item pocket down trousers South Africa Australia 3rd Test Day 3 Cape Town cricket

Cameron Bancroft was spotted putting the item down his trousers

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Australia opener Cameron Bancroft has been thrust into the spotlight after he was caught putting a mysterious yellow paper-like item down his trousers on the third day of the third Test in Cape Town.

Approximately 20 minutes before the tea break, cameras caught Bancroft taking the item out of his pocket and putting it down his pants, which sparked accusations that he may have tampered with the ball.

Bancroft and Australia captain Steve Smith subsequently had to speak to on-field umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth. During their discussion, Bancroft removed the item from his pocket rather than where he had put it earlier.

While it seemed like a piece of cloth to be used as a handkerchief or clean sunglasses, it caused a number of cricketers to take to social media and share their thoughts on the incident.

During the tea interval, former South Africa captain Graeme Smith and legendary Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne spoke about the incident.

“It does like or seem as though it’s a bit of sandpaper to affect the ball. Doesn’t look good,” Smith said as quoted by Sport24. “You’ve got to ask tough questions of (Aussie coach) Darren Lehmann and (captain) Steve Smith. It’s silly, and not on. The footage is quite damning.”

Warne added: “You can’t do the things it looks like he’s doing. You’ve got to own up as to what it was. You can’t have it in the game. If you bring in a foreign object, it must be seriously looked at.”

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