Australia vice-captain David Warner may have played his last Test in the baggy green, with a new report saying his teammates have turned on him as the key figure in the plot to tamper the ball.
Warner, captain Steve Smith and opener Cameron Bancroft were sent home in disgrace this morning.
In the lead-up to that announcement from Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Warner had removed himself from the team’s WhatsApp group.
Sources also told the Sydney newspaper that some of the country’s best cricketers did not want to play alongside him again.
Earlier reports had the vice-captain coming up with the idea of Bancroft attempting to tamper with the ball during the loss in the third Test against South Africa.
Warner was previously the team's chief ball manager but the responsibility was handed to Bancroft for the Test at Newlands after the vice-captain had come under the microscope for bandages on his hands and fingers.
This morning, Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland says an investigation found no other player nor support staff, including coach Darren Lehmann, knew of the ball- tampering plan during the third Test on the weekend.
"Darren Lehmann will remain as coach," he told a packed press conference in Johannesburg today.
Sutherland has officially reported Smith, Warner and Bancroft for breaching article 2.3.5 of Cricket Australia's Code of Conduct.
Further sanctions are expected to be announced within the next 24 hours with Smith, Warner and Bancroft to fly out of South Africa in that time.
The three replacement players for the fourth and final Test starting on Friday are Matthew Renshaw, Glenn Maxwell and Joe Burns.
The Cricket Australia Board has endorsed Tim Paine as captain of the Australian Test team.
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