Former skipper Michael Clarke says Steve Smith needs forgiveness over South Africa ball-tampering

He said Australia needed to move on from the anger over Smith’s ball-tampering plot in the third test against South Africa and work on restoring the sport’s battered reputation.

But Clarke acknowledged many fans would struggle to find sympathy for Smith over his role in a plan to have batsman Cameron Bancroft change the condition of the ball by illegally rubbing it with sticky yellow paper.

“I do feel for Steve Smith. 100 per cent he has made a major mistake and he and a lot of other people I think are going to have to suffer the consequences,” Clarke told Channel Seven.

“That’s fair enough. But I think it’s important that we do over time forgive as well.”

Australian cricket fans have long regarded the national team’s style as hard but fair, even though many take issue with the boorish behaviour of some players in recent years.