A BOLTON Cricket League club's Australian captain believes his fellow countryman Steve Smith should be banned from the sport for around six months for the ball-tampering controversy.

Bradshaw skipper Brett Ernst says he was initially disgusted and embarrassed by the actions of his national team.

But having given it more thought he believes that, while it can never be condoned and merits stronger punishment for those involved than has so far been imposed, it is a reflection of the huge pressures on modern-day sportsmen to be successful.

Smith has been given a one-match ban and fined his match fee after admitting Australia deliberately tampered with the ball in the third Test against South Africa at the weekend.

The man who was caught on camera tampering with the ball, Cameron Bancroft, has been fined 75 per cent of his match fee and handed three demerit points.

Smith admitted the plan was hatched during discussions with senior members of the team.

He accepted a charge of serious conduct contrary to the spirit of the game, while Bancroft pleaded guilty to breaching a code of conduct

The issue has created controversy around the world with widespread calls for greater punishment to be meted out.

Ernst, who was born and brought up in Australia but has lived and played his cricket in England in recent years, believes it would be appropriate to ban Smith until the summer as well as punishing others involved.

"They made a standard suspension for ball tampering, but Cricket Australia are going to look at it and there might be more to come out of that," said Ernst who will be playing in the Bolton League for the first time this season.

"One game is not enough. I would be sending Steve Smith home and probably be banning him until the summer – probably a six-month ban for him, and punishment for whoever else is involved. They are role models.

"The reaction in Australia has been astronomical. I think they will make an example of them and send a message out that it's not on."

Ernst acknowledged tampering with the ball is nothing new at any level of the game, but seeing this scandal unfold was hugely disappointing for him.

"I have gone through different phases of emotions," he said.

"The first emotional phase was shock, a bit of disgust, a bit of embarrassment, and I couldn't believe that the country I grew up in and the team I love and am passionate about would stoop so low.

"Then I slept on it and, not that you can excuse what's happened, but it does reflect the pressure involved in international sport.

"It happens across all sports, Dele Alli trying to win a penalty in football, Lance Armstrong in cycling.

"The pressure to win is so great people will go to the line.

"We are not robots, we all make mistakes and overstep the boundaries sometimes and that's what's happened. They have made a massive misjudgement and been found out."