Ball tampering row: Cricket Australia's decision prompts reply from cricket world

Cricket Australia's decision in connection with the ball tampering scandal that has tainted the otherwise gentlemen's sports, has prompted the response from the cricket world.

Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday announced that it has found skipper Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft guilty in the ball-tampering scandal, and suspended the trio for the fourth Test in Johannesburg, beginning Friday.

"Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft all charged after it was found they had prior knowledge of the ball tampering incident. No one else was aware," Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland told reporters here.

Slew of former cricketers took to social media to express their disbelief at Sutherland's assertion that only three members of the Australian team knew what was going on.

Former English cricketer Michael Vaughan tweeted, "Only 3 people knew ........ #MyArse."

"Me thinks the Hole has just got a little deeper & bigger for Cricket Australia .....," he wrote in another Tweet.

Former Indian cricketer Murali Kartik did not shy away from voicing his opinion as well.

"I am not someone who generally comments on most things but to say that the coach and the other bowlers didn't know anything about what was happening is a bit too hard to firstly chew&secondly digest.. Anyways," he tweeted.

Another former English star Matt Prior wrote, "I can't believe for one minute that only three players knew what was going on...bowlers, coach and bowling coach weren't involved in discussions of how to get the ball moving...whether it be by cheating or not!"

After the CA investigation, all three players were found guilty of breaching article 2.3.5 of Cricket Australia's Code of Conduct and will fly home from South Africa on Thursday.