Teammate reveals touching message from Bancroft

Despite the pain and regret of his ball tampering ban, Cameron Bancroft found it in himself to send a teammate an incredible message of support.

Bancroft was banned for nine months after using sandpaper to scratch the surface of the ball during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town in an incident that sent shockwaves through the sport and that he said he would regret "for the rest of his life".

The young West Australian batsman fought back tears as he fronted the media last week and expressed his remorse, prompting state teammate Michael Klinger to send him a message telling him he was thinking about him.

And Klinger says Bancroft's response perfectly sums up the kind of person he is.

"He thanked me, then turned the discussion to my family," Klinger wrote for Players Voice.

"He said my wife, Cindy, is going through something of far greater significance than what he was experiencing in South Africa. That, he added, was true perspective.

"Cindy was diagnosed with breast cancer a few months ago.

"Personally, I think that’s a pretty remarkable way for a 25-year-old bloke to respond in the middle of the biggest crisis of his life, one that was being documented all over the world."

Klinger went on to defend Bancroft, not for his actions in Cape Town, but for his character.

"I’m not condoning what happened in Cape Town. That’s not the purpose of this piece.

"What I am trying to provide is some balance and context to some of the portrayals of Cam that have been aired over the last week.

"I don’t know Steve Smith and Dave Warner well enough to do that, but Cam I do.

"He’s not a criminal. He’s not a bad bloke. He’s a kid who made a mistake, the consequences of which he will live with for the rest of his life."

Bancroft, who has played just eight Tests, will also be required to undertake 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket.

"It is something I will regret for the rest of my life. All I can do in the short term is ask for forgiveness," Bancroft told reporters in Perth after arriving home from Johannesburg.

"I feel like I've let everyone down in Australia and I'm not proud of that, it will take time for that to heal and earn the respect back.

"Through this whole experience and whirlwind few days it's been obvious to see how much the game means to Australia and the public, and we are representations of that. It's been a big wake up call for what that means."

April 11 looms as the date when Cricket Australia will learn whether it faces a judicial stoush over suspensions handed down to the shamed trio of Steve Smith, David Warner and Bancroft.

Hearings over the level-three charges and/or sanctions issued to Smith, Warner and Bancroft are expected to take place -- if needed -- on Wednesday week.

There remains a possibility the trio will cop their whack and CA will put a full stop to the ball-tampering saga that has already cost the governing body millions in sponsorship and affected TV rights negotiations.

However, it is fading fast.

Warner is understood to be particularly keen to put his case to an independent code-of-conduct commissioner.

Smith and Bancroft have also sought legal advice and are strongly considering challenging their bans, which were for 12 months and nine months respectively.

with agencies