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“If we got a better pay deal, we might’ve actually been able to afford real sandpaper,” he said.

“But that’s beside the point. I’d like to take this opportunity to apologise to Australia for getting caught. I understand that cheating is fine if you don’t get caught. Everybody does it so I don’t know why everybody is so upset with me? Getting caught is far worse than cheating in the first place. I can only get for forgiveness.”

A sheepish Steve Smith fronted the cricketing media this morning local time with Cameron Bancroft – the batsman at the centre of a controversy unseen since the Trevor Chappell underarm delivery of 1981.

Bancroft was spotted with a bit of yellow electrical tape with sand stuck to it, which he admitted he used to tamper the ball with.

However, the pair have indicated that they weren’t the only ones in on the plan.

“I understand that a lot of people will be upset and angry with us now,” said Bancroft.

“I broke the golden rule of cheating which is to not get caught. I’ve let my team down and the entire country down.”

The fallout from the disaster is yet to be felt as Australia wakes from Saturday night. But as the Australian team has admitted their guilt, the punishment from the International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to be severe.

Coach Darren Lehmann told the media he knew nothing about the plan, which was met with laughs from a few journalists and a collective groan from others.

The Advocate reached out to the Australian cricket team for comment but have yet to receive a reply.

More to come.