Australia coach Darren Lehmann has decided to resign in the wake of a ball tampering scandal that has seen three of his players handed substantial suspensions.
Lehmann had earlier indicated his desire to continue his work with the national team having been cleared of any wrongdoing in the tampering scandal by a cricket Australia investigation.
However it seems that Lehmann had a change of heart after watching successive tearful press conferences from two of the three players involved in the plot to tamper with the ball at Newlands.
Lehmann has been the target of much criticism for allowing the tampering plot to take place under his watch with some suggesting he should have known about it and claiming a cover-up.
Cricket Australia found no evidence to suggest that Lehmann was in any way involved.
Another critique of Lehmann is that it is under his watch that the kind of team atmosphere that deemed such actions appropriate was allowed to flourish.
Speaking from the Wanderers ahead of the fourth Test against South Africa at the Wanderers, Lehmann said: “Saying goodbye to the players was the toughest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
South Africa lead the four match series 2-1 going in to the final match which starts in Johannesburg on Friday.
The 48-year-old has served as head coach for nearly five years after taking over from Mickey Arthur in June 2013.
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