STEVE SMITH SAYS SANDPAPERGATE AFTERMATH STILL TRAUMATISES HIM

Steve Smith has said he remains affected by the aftermath of the 2018 "sandpapergate" ball-tampering scandal and still experiences flashbacks. In an interview with News Corp published on Thursday, Smith said cameras trigger memories of the scandal's aftermath. "I'm not a big fan of cameras, I get anxious around cameras," he said. "That was a traumatic experience in my life and when I hear the flash of a camera it makes me revisit that, in a way."

During the third Test against South Africa in 2018, Cameron Bancroft was caught rubbing the ball with sandpaper. Bancroft admitted attempting to alter the ball's condition, and Smith later admitted he had known about it. Cricket Australia banned Smith and David Warner for a year each, stripped Smith of the captaincy, and banned Bancroft for nine months. Australia's then prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, said the affair had "bitterly disappointed the whole nation". Smith broke down in tears while apologising at a news conference at Sydney airport.

Smith said the period after being told of his ban by then Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland was particularly difficult, including being surrounded by people at Johannesburg airport before flying home for the Sydney press conference. "I felt like I was kind of thrown to the wolves through Johannesburg airport. I didn't have any support there at all," he said. Smith returned to the Australia team in 2019 and re-established himself as one of the leading batters in world cricket. He served a two-year ban from leadership positions before being named Australia's Test vice-captain ahead of the 2021-22 Ashes series. Australia are set to play their first Test series in South Africa since the 2018 tour.