Big Bash League: Cameron Bancroft returns to Perth Scorchers squad as ball-tampering ban ends

Former Australia opening batsman Cameron Bancroft has been rushed back into the Perth Scorchers' squad in the domestic 'Big Bash' Twenty20 competition following the expiry of his ban for ball-tampering on Saturday.

Bancroft was banned from international, state and Big Bash cricket for nine months for his part in the Cape Town scandal, which also led to 12-month bans for former Australia captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner.

We have our 13-player squad locked in ahead of tomorrow's clash against the @HurricanesBBL Bancroft set to make his return More https://t.co/VXJp72Y7Pr #MADETOUGH pic.twitter.com/3Q0vQRNA4U

— Perth Scorchers (@ScorchersBBL) December 29, 2018

Bancroft, who was permitted to play for his Perth club Willetton during his ban, could make his Big Bash return against Hobart Hurricanes on Sunday.

"Thank you to every person, group, team, and community I have come across over the last 9 months. You know who you are," the 26-year-old Western Australian wrote in a post on his Instagram account.

 

 

 

 

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28/3/18 - 28/12/18 What a journey this has been over the last 9 months. For me, in what seemed like troubled times in April can remember lying in bed feeling for some thing. Some inspiration and motivation to get me out of bed. After thinking, reading, wondering and living it came to me that I had a choice. To lay in suffering or get up, show up and act. Action led to motivation and motivation gave me all the inspiration I needed. Here I am now. Grateful of where I am and the person I continue to grow to be. Thank you to every person, group, team and community I have come across over the last 9 months. You know who you are. Namaste Have faith and embrace uncertainty. Cam x

A post shared by Cameron Bancroft (@cbancroft4) on Dec 27, 2018 at 9:35pm PST

Bancroft broke his silence on the ball-tampering affair on Wednesday, casting Warner as the instigator of the plot to manipulate the ball's condition with a piece of sandpaper during the test match against South Africa.

Smith and Warner remain suspended until the end of March.