The wives and girlfriends of Australian cricketers have been attacked and subjected to abusive comments on social media following the ball-tampering row that has plunged Australian cricket into one of its worst crisis in recent times.
Caitlin Paris, the girlfriend of Cameron Bancroft, is being attacked on social media after her boyfriend and young opening batsman confessed to ball-tampering during Australia's third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.
Along with Paris, David Warner's wife Candice Warner and Steve Smith's better-half Dani Willis is also at the receiving end of abusive trolls.
Paris has been called a "f**king filthy human" on Instagram. "YOUR BOY HAS DISGRACED YOUR COUNTRY. CHEATER!," read another comment.
Warner's wife Candice too is facing backlash.
"Your husband is a cheater... shame on him," a person commented on Candice's Instagram page. "They deserve a lifetime ban... cheater," read another comment.
The 25-year-old Bancroft - a newcomer to the team - admitted that he was the player tasked with doing the on-field tampering, roughing up the ball with a piece of yellow adhesive tape and some dirt stuck to it in a desperate attempt to give the Australian bowlers an unfair advantage.
Australia captain Smith, who has temporarily stepped down, has confessed to being part of a player "leadership group" that came up with a plan to cheat by tampering with the ball during play in Cape Town. Vice-captain David Warner temporarily stood down from his role a day after the cheating, and is implicated in being part of the plot by doing that.
Tough questions have also been asked by the Australian media over the involvement of coach Darren Lehmann, and if he knew about the plan.
While Bancroft was fined 75 per cent of his match fee and given three demirt points by the International Cricket Council, Smith was handed a one-Test ban and was docked of his 100 per cent match fee.
However, more trouble awaits the cricketers in question as Cricket Australia is expected to rule its verdict in the saga.