Ball-tampering players sent home, coach to keep job

Coach Darren Lehmann had no knowledge of the ball-tampering plan and will remain in the job, but the players involved face "significant sanctions", Cricket Australia says.

In a press conference held this morning, Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said the investigation into the incident had found knowledge of the plan to tamper with the ball was limited to Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and junior player Cameron Bancroft.

"No other players or support staff had prior knowledge."

He said Smith, Warner and Bancroft will be sent home tomorrow and were facing "significant sanctions".

Mr Sutherland said he hoped to announce details of those sanctions within the next 24 hours.

He said he understood that many people wanted the issue resolved quickly, but urgency needed to be balanced with due process.

Lehmann would continue to coach Australia and Tim Paine would act as captain, he said.

Mr Sutherland opened the press conference by apologising to "all of Australia" and said the case was "extraordinarily bad" for Australian cricket.

A review into the conduct and culture of Australia's national cricket teams would be carried out.

Cricket Australia launched an investigation after Smith said the team's "leadership group" plotted to tamper with the ball in the third test against South Africa.

Mr Sutherland and two top executives have flown to South Africa to investigate the incident.

The plan was carried out by Bancroft, who was fined 75 percent of his match fee and given three demerit points.

Smith has already been banned by the match referee for one test, has been fined his entire match fee, and also stepped down from his lucrative position as captain of the Indian Premier League's Rajasthan Royals side.

Warner was stood down from his position for the rest of the match.