Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says the ball-tampering reveal is ‘beyond belief’.
The media and the world were shocked when Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith admitted to being involved with ball tampering during day three of the third Test at Newlands.
ALSO READ: Smith, Bancroft admit cheating
Since then there’s been an outrage from supporters, ex-players and pundits alike.
Turnbull says he was stunned by the incident.
‘We all woke up this morning shocked and bitterly disappointed by the news from South Africa,’ he told reporters. ‘It seemed completely beyond belief that the Australian cricket team had been involved in cheating.
‘After all, our cricketers are role models and cricket is synonymous with fair play. How can our team be engaged in cheating like this? It beggars belief.
‘There’s a lot of disappointment.’
ALSO READ: There will be action, says Cricket Australia
Turnbull said he expects Cricket Australia to take immediate action, after chatting to CA chairman David Peever.
‘I’ve expressed to him very clearly and unequivocally my disappointment and my concern about the events in South Africa,’ he added.
‘It’s their responsibility to deal with it but I have to say the whole nation who holds those who wear the baggy green up on a pedestal — about as high as you can get in Australia, higher than any politician that’s for sure — this is a shocking disappointment and it’s wrong and I look forward to Cricket Australia taking decisive action soon.’
