Steven Smith's anguished arrival was the final straw. A day after vowing to stay on and drive cultural renewal, Australia's coach Darren Lehmann bowed to the inevitable on Thursday and chose to resign at the conclusion of the Wanderers Test match after five years at the helm of the national team, saying the former captain's tears had convinced him it was the only course of action.

His public announcement, a matter of minutes after he told an already shell-shocked Test squad, was followed by a surreal training session, where the touring party engaged mainly in football and fielding drills while the Wanderers public address system belted out classic Australian songs such as How to Make Gravy by Paul Kelly, Into My Arms by Nick Cave, Reckless by Australian Crawl, Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House and Wide Open Road by The Triffids.

Lehmann confessed to not being able to sleep since Saturday night following the team's exposure for ball tampering. While maintaining his lack of knowledge of the plot between David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, with the approval of Smith, Lehmann conceded it was impossible for him to stay on as coach while the team and Cricket Australia continued to be under attack. The home Test series sponsor Magellan cancelled its deal on Thursday, while longtime broadcast partner Channel Nine looked the other way in signing a new five-year deal with Australian tennis.

Sutherland says he will stay on James Sutherland has said that he will not step down as Cricket Australia's chief executive in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal that has already resulted in bans for Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft and the resignation of the coach Darren Lehmann. "I'm absolutely committed to my job, my employment and tenure is a matter for the board of Cricket Australia but I'm not resigning, in fact what has happened over the last few days has only strengthened my resolve to ensure that Australian cricket and the Australian cricket team gets back on track, and back in a place where it has not only the full respect but the pride of the Australian community," Sutherland said in Johannesburg shortly after Lehmann had made his announcement. "It's been a difficult week, but most difficult for those three players who have returned to Australia. They are obviously in a very difficult and sad place, and between CA and the ACA, we will offer all of those players all the support we can, all the welfare services within and outside our system. We will make sure we support the players and their families as best we can."

"It's been happening for a few days, and you think you can keep going, but the amount of abuse or whatever word you want to use just takes its toll, everyone has their views out there, but they made a mistake, and we need to get the game back on track," Lehmann said. "And speaking to my family they've had enough of traveling 300 days a year and not being home at all to see your family, so that's also a big reason, the main reason. Spend some time with them, see the kids and maybe go and watch my son play cricket, and be there for my daughters.

"I've been speaking with the hierarchy the last couple of days, and this morning, no sleep last night again, no-one's slept, that's the biggest challenge fronting up tomorrow. I don't think I've slept since Saturday to be perfectly honest, couple hours here and there, playing around in your head, and what's right, and let the game move forward.

"After seeing events in the media today with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, the feeling is that Australian cricket needs to move forward and this is the right thing to do. I really felt for Steve as I saw him crying in front of the media and all of the players are really hurting. As I've stated before I had no prior knowledge of the incident and do not condone what happened at all, but good people can make mistakes."