After spending a month away from home in the aftermath of the ball-tampering scandal, former captain Steve Smith is back in Australia and says he has come to terms with what happened in South Africa.
The 28-year-old has also promised to earn back trust and thanked all his supports for their messages. Smith shared his statement on social media along with a photo of himself with his fiancée Dani Willis and his dog Charlie. He was away from Australia for a month and spent the time in USA, according to The Australian.
“It’s great to be back home in Australia. I have had some time away to come to terms with everything and now it’s time to get back into it,” he wrote.
“The amount of emails and letters I have received has been incredible and I have been extremely humbled by the enormous amount of support you have given me. I now have a lot to do to earn back your trust.”
He concluded the message by thanking his family for being his rock through the difficult time. “To my Mum, Dad and Dani you have been my rock through this and I can’t thank you enough. Family is the most important thing in the world and I thank you for your love and support.”
This is Smith’s first public statement since the emotional press conference in March where he broke down while accepting full responsibility for the ball-tampering scandal in Newlands.
He was suspended for 12 months, along with vice-captain David Warner for their role in the ball tampering incident in Cape Town during the recent Test series. Additionally, he will not be considered for captaincy again for at least 12 months after he serves his ban. Smith has said he will not be challenging Cricket Australia’s sanctions.
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