Steve Smith, David Warner cleared to play club cricket in Australia

Steve Smith and David Warner are currently serving a yearlong ban from international cricket for ball-tampering during the Test series in South Africa.

Banned Australia cricket team players Steve Smith and David Warner could be seen playing club cricket back home soon. However, the third member of the banned trio, Cameron Bancroft, might have to wait longer to start playing.

Steve Smith and David Warner have been cleared by the New South Wales Cricket Association (NSWCA) to play club cricket. (Getty Images)

Steve Smith and Warner received a boost to their chances of playing competitive cricket again after The New South Wales Cricket Association (NSWCA) confirmed it would not stop them from playing grade cricket this season.

Bancroft, on other hand, would require an exemption from The Western Australia District Cricket Council (WADCC) to play for his club in Perth this year.

The Cricket Australia (CA) imposed sanctions on Smith, Warner and Bancroft for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, barring them from playing international and domestic cricket. But they are eligible to take part in club cricket.

Both NSWCA and WADCC have rules in place which state that a player suspended by Cricket Australia is ‘automatically disqualified from participation in WADCC Competitions for the duration of that suspension’. The New South Wales based club governing body, though, cleared Smith and Warner’s names taking into account the CA verdict that explicitly said that banned players are eligible and encouraged to play club cricket.

WADCC, on the other hand, is conducting a meeting of its premier clubs on Monday to determine if Bancroft should be given the similar clearance.

Smith’s Sydney team Sutherland and Warner’s club side Randwick-Petersham have already extended support to their star players. However, it is learnt that both cricketers won’t be considered for leadership positions in their respective clubs this season.