Moments that made March 2018 an eventful month for cricket 

#2 The series of controversies - Australia vs South Africa

Steve Smith has been banned for a year by Cricket Australia

The 4-match Test series between Australia and South Africa in 2018 will always be remembered for the wrong reasons.

The first three Test matches witnessed many controversies. During the tea interval of the first Test at Durban, there was a heated exchange of words between David Warner and Quinton de Kock as the players made their way to the dressing rooms. While de Kock was charged with a Level 1 offence, Warner was hit with a Level 2 offence.

If this were not enough, the second Test, at Port Elizabeth, witnessed another incident which took the cricket community by surprise. South African pacer Kagiso Rabada was found guilty of deliberately making contact with the then Australian skipper Steve Smith which was a Level 2 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for which he was handed 3 demerit points and a two-match ban. However, the ban was overturned on appeal and Rabada was cleared to play the remaining matches of the series.

The Cape Town Test that followed is probably the darkest in the history of Australian cricket. Opener Cameron Bancroft attempted to use sandpaper to change the condition of the ball on the third day of the Test. Skipper Smith then admitted that the 'leadership group' was aware of the proceedings. As a result, the ICC suspended Smith for a Test. However, Cricket Australia handed a year's ban to both Smith and Warner for their involvement and a ban of 9 months for Bancroft.