Australia launches investigation as 'embarrassed' captain Steve Smith admits orchestrated ball-tampering

Cricket Australia said on Sunday they would conduct an investigation into a ball-tampering scandal during the third test against South Africa that has prompted calls for captain Steve Smith to step down.

Smith is fighting to keep his job after he confessed the team management decided to cheat by tampering with the ball in Cape Town.

Australian cricket was landed in its biggest crisis for years when Cameron Bancroft was caught by television cameras trying to scuff up the ball with tape. He hid the tape down his trousers when questioned by the umpires, who did not change the ball. But in an extraordinary end-of-play press conference Bancroft admitted ball-tampering and Smith revealed it was the idea of the team management during the lunch break.