Steve Smith: “I was really struggling mentally”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Former Australia captain Steve Smith has revealed that he “spent four days in tears” following the ball tampering scandal that shocked the cricketing community.

It is understood that opening batsman and former vice-captain David Warner played a leading role in the scandal, which occurred on the third day of the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town, as he told fellow opening batsman Cameron Bancroft to alter the condition of the ball with sandpaper.

As a result, Warner and Smith were banned for 12 months by Cricket Australia, while Bancroft was suspended for nine months.

Smith won’t be allowed to captain Australia for two years, while Warner won’t be considered for leadership roles in the future.

Smith is set to make his cricket comeback at the inaugural edition of the Global T20 Canada, which will begin later this month.

Opening up about the ball tampering scandal while speaking at Knox Grammar boys school in Sydney, the audio of which was obtained by the Seven Network, Smith, as quoted by cricket.com.au, said: “To be honest, I probably spent four days in tears.

“I was really struggling mentally. It certainly was the toughest thing that I’ve had to do. It’s about teaching everyone that … as a man, it’s OK to show emotion.”