Even as the Australian ball-tamperers arrived home in disgrace, one county was enquiring if they could approach one of them for the forthcoming season only to be told by the England & Wales Cricket Board there was no way they would be allowed to play county cricket.

The ECB will not allow Steve Smith, David Warner or Cameron Bancroft to play county cricket this season unless there is a softening of Cricket Australia’s stance.

Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, has been in touch with his opposite number, James Sutherland, at Cricket Australia and promised to back him up.

Telegraph Sport understands one county approached the ECB about whether they would be allowed to offer the players a route back into the game but boards have reciprocal agreements in place that see them ratify bans handed down by other member countries.

Danish Kaneria’s life ban for fixing was imposed by the ECB but became a world-wide ban thanks to protocols at ICC level which demand countries abide by sanctions meted out by other boards.