Cameron Bancroft says he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time after admitting he tampered with the ball during the third test against South Africa.
Television footage showed Bancroft take what he said was yellow tape out of his trouser pocket before rubbing the ball.
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The 25-year-old said he had been charged with attempting to change the condition of the ball.
He was visibly distraught when facing media, accompanied by captain Steve Smith after play ended at Newlands.
"I will deal with the damage that comes to my reputation as a consequence," Bancroft said. "I don't think I was coerced. I was nervous about it because there are hundreds of cameras around.
"Unfortunately I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But I am accountable for my actions as well. I'm not proud of what has happened.
"I saw an opportunity to potentially use some tape and get some granules from the rough patches on the wicket and I guess try to change the ball condition.
"It didn't work. The umpires didn't change the ball. Once I was sighted on the screen having done that I panicked quite a lot and that obviously resulted in me shoving [the tape] down my trousers."
Smith explained how Bancroft had not been part of the initial conversation on the plans to start tampering with the ball, and that he overheard what the leadership group was saying.
"The leadership group knew about it. We spoke about it at lunch," Smith said. "I'm not proud of what's happened. It's not within the spirit of the game. My integrity, the team's integrity, the leadership group's integrity has come into question and rightfully so.
"I can promise you it won't happen again. It's the first time this has happened.
"We will move on from this and hopefully learn something from it. I'm embarrassed. I feel for Cam. It's not what the Australian cricket team is about. I am incredibly sorry.
"It's a poor reflection on everyone in that dressing room and particularly the leaders in the group."
On day one of the test, Pat Cummins denied any wrongdoing as South African media question whether the Australian paceman deliberately stood on the ball.
Australian cricket boss James Sutherland will be addressing the media at 2pm (NZ time) over the incident.
Newshub.
