Captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner were banned for 12 months on Wednesday after an investigation into the Australian cricket team's cheating scandal identified Warner as the instigator of the ball tampering plan that unraveled in South Africa.
Cricket Australia said Warner "instructed" young batsman Cameron Bancroft to carry out the tampering on the field with a piece of sandpaper — even showed Bancroft how to do it — then misled match officials and tried to cover up his role in the cheating.
Smith, the top test batsman in the world and the star of Australian cricket, knew about the plan. But the captain failed "to take steps to seek to prevent the development and implementation of that plan," Cricket Australia said.
tennis
Qualifier beats Venus
Danielle Collins got the biggest win of her pro career, shocking eighth-seeded Venus Williams 6-2, 6-3 in the Miami Open quarterfinals. Collins needed to survive two qualifying matches before making the main draw at Key Biscayne.
"The first time I saw Venus in the locker room, I nearly cried," Collins said. "I mean, I've idolized her my whole life. She's been my favorite player for forever. This is such a special moment, I'm just trying to wrap my head around it."
No qualifier has ever gone this deep at this event.
AROUND THE HORN
Prep basketball: North Carolina commit Nassir Little scored 28 points, three shy of the McDonald's All-American Game record, and the West rallied to beat the East 131-128 in Atlanta. Apple Valley High School guard Tre Jones, a Duke commit, had seven points, eight assists and two steals in a game-high 25 minutes for the West. Duke recruit Zion Williamson left the game in the second half with a right-hand injury and did not return for the East.
Soccer: FIFA opened an investigation after members of the France national team were racially abused by fans in Russia, less than three months before the country hosts the World Cup. Monkey chants could be heard from the crowd in St. Petersburg on Tuesday when black French players touched the ball in a friendly against Russia. It's the third racism case this season at St. Petersburg Stadium.
