Steve Smith

Cricket faces one of the toughest weeks in its history as the backlash grows over Australian ball-tampering, a scandal that could cost Steve Smith not only the Test captaincy but a potential life ban. The Marylebone Cricket Club, the guardian of the laws of the game, called for a "major shift in attitude" to preserve the game for future generations. "The behaviour of some of the players in the current South Africa/Australia series, and other incidents in recent times in the game we all cherish, has fallen well below the standard required to inspire future generations of cricket-loving families," the MCC said. Australian captain Smith was banned for one Test and docked his entire match fee by the International Cricket Council for his role in a plot that saw team-mate Cameron Bancroft tamper with the ball during the third Test against South Africa which ended in a crushing 322-run defeat for the visitors.