Bancroft 'would do anything for team'

Cameron Bancroft's unwavering devotion to his country and teammates likely played its part in why he inexplicably carried out orders of ball tampering issued by Australia's senior players, according to former Test batsman Adam Voges.

Bancroft is facing suspension from the fourth Test after was caught and later admitted to altering the condition of the ball with a foreign agent – a piece of yellow tape with chunks of the pitch stuck to it.

The 25-year-old said after play on Saturday he was "in the wrong place at the wrong time" when the senior players asked him to carry out the nefarious task, and Voges said the Test rookie's commitment to his teammates is perhaps why he took on the role.

Voges captained Bancroft in 32 Sheffield Shield matches from 2013-17 and said the actions of the opening batsman that took place in Cape Town yesterday are "completely out of his character".

Image Id: 855DD80E9C1F4E8CAB96363D86E43550 Image Caption: Voges and Bancroft with WA // Getty

"Cameron Bancroft is the kind of guy that would do anything for the team," Voges told cricket.com.au at Newlands where he is on deck as part of SEN's live radio coverage of the series.

"That probably sums up his willingness to do something that I'm sure morally and ethically was against what he wanted to do.

"But if the team asks Cameron to do something he'll do it for them.

"I was completely shattered when I saw the footage and being in the press conference with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft last night and (watching) them admit guilt of trying to alter the condition of the ball.

"My initial reaction is that it's not something I know Cameron Bancroft to be a part of.

"It's completely out of his character. My initial reaction is that certainly wasn't an idea he came up with by himself."

Bancroft was charged by match referee Andy Pycroft with a Level 2 offence of attempting to alter the condition of the ball. It is understood he has accepted the sanction, with the penalty set to be delivered on Sunday.

Possible sanctions include a fine of his match fee anywhere between 50 and 100 per cent, with either three or four demerit points added to his record. Four demerit points would trigger an automatic one-Test ban.

Bancroft was heckled by spectators prior to play on day four while the Test team, under the leadership of Tim Paine after Smith and David Warner stood down from their roles as captain and vice-captain respectively for the remainder of the match, were booed as they made their way onto the ground for the first session.

Voges says the next two weeks Bancroft spends in South Africa will be "incredibly tough".

"He's still new to Test cricket, this is only his eighth game," he said.

"The scrutiny and spotlight will turn on him for the duration of this Test match and the rest of the series.

"It'll be tough for him, there's no doubt about it."

Should Bancroft be suspended, Australia will lose their leading run-scorer for the series.

Pressure was on Bancroft at the start of the tour having failed to secure his spot in the Magellan Ashes, but now has 197 runs in five innings and at least one more trip to the crease as Australia chase a mammoth target to win the third Test.

But Voges said the ball tampering charge is a blow to his fledgling career in the Baggy Green.

"I thought the way he batted in the first innings (77 from 103 balls) was as well as I've seen him play, particularly in Test cricket in some really trying conditions," Voges said.

"He was really starting to establish himself and this is going to be a blow to his career, there's no doubt about that and he'll have to live with that.

"Hopefully he can come out in this second innings and do a job for the Australians."

Qantas tour of South Africa

South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, AB de Villiers.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.

Warm-up match: Australia beat South Africa A by five wickets. Report, highlights

First Test Australia won by 118 runs. Scorecard

Second Test South Africa won by six wickets. Scorecard

Third Test Newlands, Cape Town, March 22-26. Live coverage

Fourth Test Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 30-April 3. Live coverage