Cameron Bancroft joins Steve Smith and David Warner in Australia’s Ashes squad

All three batsmen served lengthy bans for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa last year.

Opening batsman Cameron Bancroft was on Friday included in Australia’s squad for a five-Test Ashes series against England alongside Steve Smith and David Warner. All three batsmen served lengthy bans for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa last year.

File photo of Cameron Bancroft and David Warner. (REUTERS)

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Former captain Smith and his then deputy Warner were both given 12-month suspensions by Cricket Australia, with Bancroft -- who actually applied sandpaper to the ball while in the field during a Test in Cape Town -- banned for nine months. While Warner and Smith played in the recently-concluded Cricket World Cup, Bancroft was playing trade in the domestic leagues.

The first Test at Edgbaston starts on August 1, with holders Australia looking to win their first Ashes series in England since 2001.

Full squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Patrick Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner