Wednesday 28 March 2018 09:48, UK
Devon Malcolm says action must be taken against Steve Smith in the wake of the ball tampering scandal but has stopped short of calling for the Australia captain to serve a lengthy ban.
Cameron Bancroft and Smith admitted ball tampering charges after the former was caught using a foreign object on the ball and then hiding it down his trousers. Smith and vice-captain David Warner have subsequently stepped down from as captain and vice-captain for the remainder of the third Test against South Africa.
Speaking at the 2018 British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards, Malcolm has called for sanctions against the Australia skipper in order to preserve the spirit of the game.
"I keep thinking to myself am I hearing this right," the former England bowler told Sky Sports News.
"The captain admitting that they planned this and all of a sudden he thinks it's justified because it didn't work anyway. He is as guilty as it comes so something definitely has to happen about that.
"Normally, you see accusations and people are not caught but when the captain admits to it….the ICC have got to have a look at that, the Australian Cricket Board will have a look at that and you can't just put that to bed as it is. Something definitely has to be done about it.
"Steve Smith is a fantastic player. Judging by the fact that he has put his hand up and admitted that it was a team plan [saying] 'we tried it and it didn't work', I would like to see him being reprimanded.
"Maybe it should a Test match ban or a couple or whatever but we need him to play because he is a fantastic player that and you can't just boot him out of the game like that. If they do he will probably go towards the shorter form of the game.
"We need those guys to still play cricket but at the same time we have got to keep the integrity of the game going. They admitted that they cheated in the game, and even though it didn't work, it still matters and you've got to still play with the spirit of cricket."
Jamaican-born Malcolm played 50 matches for England in an international cricket career spanning eight years and the 55-year-old still remains active in the game.
"I'm still involved in the game massively, mainly at grassroots level," he said.
"I am one of the ambassadors for Chance to Shine helping to get the game back into state schools and I absolutely love that.
"I have been to the mountain and I have come back down the other side but I am pleased to still be involved in this beautiful game of cricket."
