‘It was all of us’: Uzzie drops bombshell in contemporary sandpaper claims
How to Perfect T20 Bowling | 04:43
Fox Cricket from Fox Sports activitiesNovember 7th, 2026 9:16 am
Usman Khawaja has made a bombshell claim that sandpaper was additionally used in the second Check of the notorious 2018 South Africa series.
The former Australian batter additionally made the gorgeous revelation that every touring occasion member knew about the plan.
Khawaja has made the eye-opening claims in his autobiography Sabr, which is about for launch on Tuesday.
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Throughout the third Check in Cape City against the Proteas eight years in the past, Cameron Bancroft was captured on digicam using yellow sandpaper to scuff the ball and acquire reverse swing.
The scandal sent shockwaves through Australian cricket, with then-captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner subsequently handed 12-month bans, whereas Bancroft obtained a nine-month suspension.
However Khawaja claims that the usage of sandpaper was first discussed and utilized by the Australians through the previous Check in Port Elizabeth.
In accordance with The Age, Khawaja recalls that “open, lighthearted discussions” have been had in the St George’s Park dressing room “about learn how to find ways to tough up the ball, culminating in the discovery of sandpaper as an effective agent”.
Cricket Australia’s subsequent investigation identified solely three players – Bancroft, Warner and Smith – as being concerned in the scandal, with Smith discovered to have known of the plan, but failed to prevent it.
However Khawaja has revealed a different model of occasions.
“It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the employees. All of us,” Khawaja advised The Age.
He added: “In a really perfect world, I don’t wish to do that … I don’t wish to be the one who comes out and talks about the reality. The issue is that I genuinely thought after eight years the reality would have been out by now.
“Perhaps I assumed Davey would have exposed it, or someone else would have talked about it extra. I simply didn’t assume it was going to return down to this. But the longer it’s gone on for, and right from the very begin, I’ve been on the practice of collectively taking it.”
Khawaja’s understanding contradicts a joint statement issued by Australia’s bowling quartet of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon in 2021, by which they denied understanding a overseas substance had been taken onto the field to change the ball’s condition.
“We satisfaction ourselves on our honesty … We didn’t know a overseas substance was taken onto the field to change the condition of the ball till we noticed the photographs on the big display screen at Newlands,” the statement learn.
Khawaja had beforehand alerted Cummins and Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg to the contents of his autobiography, with the Australian captain publicly declaring final month that the enjoying group had moved on from the scandal.
Source: www.foxsports.com.au
