for the 2018 tour of South Africa and played in the first three Tests. In March 2018, Bancroft admitted to ball tampering against South Africa in the third Test match held in Cape Town. During the match, television footage showed Bancroft rubbing the ball with sandpaper. On discovering that footage of the incident had been broadcast, Bancroft put the sandpaper down the front of his trousers before being spoken to by the on-field umpires. At a later press conference captain Steve Smith admitted that the plan to tamper with the ball was concocted by the team "leadership group." The ICC later imposed a one match ban on Steve Smith and handed over 3 demerit points to Cameron Bancroft after the alleged ball tampering controversy. Cricket Australia then imposed further sanctions against Bancroft, Smith and David Warner, meaning they would not take part in the fourth Test. Cricket Australia launched a separate investigation into the incident as a matter of urgency. Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland announced that as a result of the preliminary investigation into the incident Smith, Warner and Bancroft had been charged with bringing the game into disrepute, suspended and sent home. David Warner was later found to be responsible for the development of the plan to tamper with the ball and instructing Bancroft on how to do it. Bancroft was found to have carried out those instructions, tried to conceal evidence and mislead match officials by denying knowledge of the tampering. As a result, Bancroft received a 9-month ban from international and domestic cricket in Australia and was banned from any leadership role for 1 year after the initial ban was completed. Somerset County Cricket Club announced that Bancroft would not be joining the county as their overseas player for the 2018 season as previously planned. Return to Cricket Bancroft made a return to professional cricket on 30 December 2018, playing for the Perth Scorchers in the 2018–19 Big Bash League season. In the match he scored 2 runs from three balls, with the Hobart Hurricanes going on to win the game by 6 wickets. Although he only scored 2 runs in his first game back for the Perth Scorchers, he went on to make 296 runs in 10 games in the season, including a Career Best knock of 87* against the Sydney Sixers, in which he was awarded man of the match. In February 2019 Bancroft