Sydney: As the fall-out from the ball-tampering scandal continued even today, Darren Lehmann will step down as coach of Australia before the fourth Test against South Africa begins on Friday, according to a report.

Australia was plunged into turmoil after captain Steve Smith admitted on Saturday that senior players conspired with opening batsman Cameron Bancroft to tamper with the ball during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

Smith has been fined and suspended from the fourth Test by the International Cricket Council and he and David Warner have been stood down from their positions as captain and vice-captain pending a Cricket Australia investigation.

The national governing body expects to announce the results of the investigation in Johannesburg later today and although Smith said the coaching staff had been unaware of the conspiracy, Lehmann still had questions to answer.

The former Test batsman clearly played a part in trying to cover up the cheating by getting word to Bancroft that his use of some tape to try and scuff up one side of the ball had been spotted by the television cameras.