Cricket Australia open to further investigation after Cameron Bancroft hints that bowlers were aware of ball tampering


Cricket Australia open to further investigation after Cameron Bancroft hints that bowlers were aware of ball tampering

Cameron Bancroft

The ‘Sandpapergate’ scandal is one of the most controversial ones in the history of Australian cricket. It occurred in the year 2018 during a Test match between the Aussies and South Africa where television cameras spotted opener Cameron Bancroft roughening up the ball using sandpaper that he had in his pocket. This was done in order to generate swing and movement in the flight of the ball.

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Australia’s captain back then Steve Smith as well as vice-captain David Warner were also found to be involved in the plot upon investigation and all three received harsh sanctions including bans from Cricket Australia. The scandal also led to head coach Darren Lehmann stepping down from his position.

It is believed that no one else on the team, barring the three batsmen had any idea of the wrongdoing. But in a recent interview with the Guardian interviewer Donald McRae, Bancroft hinted that the bowlers were in the know of things during the infamous Newlands Test.

Yeah, look, all I wanted to do was to be responsible and accountable for my own actions and part. Yeah, obviously what I did benefits bowlers and the awareness around that, probably, is self-explanatory,” Bancroft said. “I guess one thing I learnt through the journey and being responsible is that’s where the buck stops [with Bancroft himself]. Had I had better awareness I would have made a much better decision.

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When pressed further, he replied: “Uh… yeah, look, I think, yeah, I think it’s pretty probably self-explanatory.

Cricket Australia open to further investigation

Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia

Cameron Bancroft’s comments have sent a ripple across the cricketing fraternity. While the involvement of the Aussie bowlers in the wrongdoing is yet unclear, the comments have definitely cast yet another shadow on the Australian cricket. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Cricket Australia is open to further investigations if new information comes to light.

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CA has maintained all along that if anyone is in possession of new information in regards to the Cape Town Test of 2018, they should come forward and present it,ESPNCricinfo a CA spokesman said. “The investigation conducted at the time was detailed and comprehensive. Since then, no one has presented new information to CA that casts doubt on the investigation’s findings.

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This revelation isn’t a big shock as such due to the fact that many including Andrew Flintoff predicted that the bowlers would definitely have had knowledge of the act.

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