Banned Australian cricketer, Cameron Bancroft, has signed with county side Durham as an overseas player for the 2019 season.
The 25-year-old was one of three players to be banned by Cricket Australia after admitting to using sandpaper to alter the shape of the ball in the third Test against South Africa at Newlands in March and is currently serving a nine-month ban.
The ban included all international and home domestic matches, but despite this, Bancroft still managed to get special dispensation to play for Willetton in Western Australia in May.
Bancroft, who has played eight Tests for Australia, will be available for Durham in all formats of the county game next year.
‘Cameron provides us with a very talented overseas signing who can bulk up our batting line-up and help us compete for silverware,’ said Durham head coach Jon Lewis.
’[New Zealander] Tom Latham has done a great job for us over the past two seasons but we anticipate him being unavailable due to the World Cup in 2019, therefore we were delighted to be able to bring Cameron in.’
With the World Cup taking place in England, Bancroft admitted that the opportunity is crucial to his preparations for the tournament.
‘With the Ashes and World Cup both being played in the UK in 2019, it will be a huge summer of cricket. I am grateful for the opportunity,’ he said.
Photo: EJ Langer/Gallo Images
