The Australian duo of Steve Smith and David Warner “got away with murder” and should have been banned for two years for their roles in the ball-tempering scandal, feels West Indies pace legend Curtly Ambrose.

“When you break the law like that you should be punished,” Ambrose, only one of 15 bowlers in history to record more than 400 Test wickets, told Fox Sports.

“I honestly thought they got away with murder. A year was a little bit (lenient). I would have said two years just to send a message because it was stupid really,” he said.

The 55-year-old from Antigua, however, hoped the duo makes it to the Australia team for the World Cup. “I believe they will never do it again,” he said.

“I just hope that all of Australia supports them and I hope that they go to the World Cup because they’ll make the team stronger,” he added.