Darren Lehmann steps down as head coach of Australian Cricket team

Johannesburg: Australia Cricket team head coach Darren Lehmann finally quits on Thursday after the ball-tampering scandal blotted the Aussie Cricket.

Lehmann had already announced that the controversial Cape Town Test against South Africa was his last as the head coach of the team.

The 48-year-old was on Wednesday cleared of any wrongdoing in the ball-tampering scandal.

"As many who sit in this room will know, life on the road means a lot of time away from loved ones and after speaking to my family, it is the right time to step away," an emotional Lehmann on the eve of the fourth Test against South Africa at the Wanderers. "I hope the team rebuilds and the Australian public can forgive the young men and get behind the XI."

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"Speaking to the players and saying goodbye is the toughest thing I have had to do," Lehmann said. "It's been happening for a few days and you think you can keep going but the amount of abuse just takes it toll. They made a mistake. Speaking to my family, they've had enough of traveling 300 days. This was entirely my decision. I have been speaking to the hierarchy in the last couple of days."

The ball tampering scandal has seen skipper Steven Smith and David Warner getting one-year ban while Cameron Bancroft being suspended for nine months.