Cricket Australia has decided to uphold in full the suspensions handed out to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft for their role in the ball tampering scandal.
The decision, announced on Tuesday afternoon, means Bancroft will see out his nine-month suspension while Warner and Smith will sit on the domestic and international sidelines for a full year.
Bancroft's ban ends in late December, which will allow him to take part in the Big Bash League with the Perth Scorchers, while Smith and Warner will be eligible to return from March 29.
CA's seven-person board met via a phone hook-up on Monday and Tuesday to rule on the penalties handed down following the Cape Town controversy. The governing body rejected a submission by the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) to either lift the bans altogether or bring the trio back to domestic cricket this summer before their original suspensions had been completed.
"The original decision of the Board to sanction the players was determined after rigorous discussion and consideration. CA maintains that both the length and nature of the sanctions remain an appropriate response in light of the considerable impact on the reputation of Australian cricket, here and abroad," interim chairman Earl Eddings said in a statement.
"Steve, David and Cameron are working hard to demonstrate their commitment to cricket and have our continued support to ensure their pathway to return is as smooth as possible.
"We believe the ongoing conversation about reducing the sanctions puts undue pressure on the three players — all of whom accepted the sanctions earlier this year — and the Australian men's cricket team. As such, the Cricket Australia Board doesn't intend to consider further calls for amendments to the sanctions."
David Warner and Steve Smith have been playing grade cricket this summer. Photo / Photosport
Several options were reportedly on the table for the three players after the submission from the ACA following the findings of the Longstaff cultural review. The players' association argued the review found the ball tampering saga was not just the fault of the players, but also a result of the sport's win-at-all-costs mentality.
One option put forward by the ACA suggested the players be allowed to return to Sheffield Shield action early but not international cricket. That was the option that most quickly gathered momentum ahead of the CA meetings this week, but was ultimately rejected.
Another resolution reportedly on the table was to see the trio's returns weighted, with Bancroft free to return for the final two Shield rounds before the Big Bash begins, and Warner and Smith allowed to resume domestic cricket after the T20 break in February.
That would have seen all three players serve close to 90 per cent of their CA-enforced suspensions. But CA has stuck firm and will force the players to serve the entirety of their bans.
The debate on whether to uphold the bans or not had already split current and ex-players before CA handed down its final decision. Simon Katich and Mitchell Johnson argued the existing international bans should stand while George Bailey and Nathan Lyon called for their return to Shield cricket.
On Tuesday Johnson backtracked slightly, saying he was not against the trio playing Shield cricket.
Smith, Warner and Bancroft have spent this summer playing grade cricket in Sydney and Perth, and it's understood their promotion of the game, community service and contrition formed part of the ACA submission.
Meanwhile the appointment of a full-time CA chairman is believed to have been placed on the backburner, with Eddings still the most likely option.
Eddings' predecessor David Peever previously asserted his belief the trio's bans should stand before his resignation earlier this month. Former board member Mark Taylor, who quit this month, also said repeatedly the bans would remain.
