Ball-tampering row: ICC bans Steve Smith for 1 match, to miss final Test vs Proteas

Cape Town: The International Cricket Council has banned Australia captain Steve Smith for one match on Sunday for his role in a ball-tampering plot in the ongoing third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft, who was the man tasked with doing the tampering on the field, received three disciplinary demerit points but that was not enough for a ban.

Smith, who stood down temporarily as captain of the team on Sunday, will now miss the final Test of the series against South Africa in Johannesburg.

In its ruling, the ICC says Smith admitted that he was "party to a decision to attempt to change the condition of the ball in order to gain an unfair advantage."

Smith and Bancroft confessed on Saturday to a plan to try and cheat against South Africa by tampering with the ball using a piece of yellow adhesive tape and some dirt in order to get the ball to swing.

Although Smith confessed the plan was hatched by the Australia team's "leadership group," he refused to name other players involved and the ICC didn't announce action against anyone else in its ruling on Sunday.