Cricket Australia Won’t Reopen Sandpaper Probe After Khawaja Claims
Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg has ruled out a new inquiry into the 2018 ball-tampering affair, saying players hold sharply different recollections. His comments follow Usman Khawaja's claims ahead of the release of his book, Sabr.
Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg has ruled out reopening the investigation into the 2018 sandpaper scandal, saying people have different views of cricket's Cape Town ball-tampering plot and a new inquiry would not settle them.
Greenberg made the comments in a radio interview after Usman Khawaja's claims about events in Cape Town emerged at the weekend. They come ahead of the release of Khawaja's book, Sabr, due on Tuesday.
Greenberg's position
Greenberg said he respected Khawaja and his right to tell his story candidly. He also said other players in that team recall events very differently.
"People have very different views of what happened, and recollections of what happened," Greenberg said.
He said he read Khawaja's comments in the media at the same time as the public and has yet to read the book. Specific details in it, he said, contradict versions given by others.
"We don't see any compelling reason to open the investigation or revisit this again, I don't think there's anything that can be gained from that," Greenberg said. He added that Cricket Australia remains comfortable with the outcome of the original investigation, including what it saw from Khawaja.
Players were urged to come forward at the time and have had the opportunity over the past eight years, Greenberg said. That, he said, remains the case.
What Khawaja says
Khawaja's book states the Australian team began using sandpaper in Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha. That was in the Test before Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera in Cape Town. Khawaja writes that it was common knowledge within the team.
Greenberg is a former chief executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association. He knows the details behind the bans given to captain Steve Smith and opening batsmen David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
Khawaja posted on social media again on Tuesday. He said he had kept his account of Cape Town from his manager and from publisher Penguin until six months ago.
"Lots of people are saying that I used 'sandpaper' for my book sales … that is 100 per cent false," Khawaja said. He said he signed with Penguin in 2023 and was told only to tell his story, with total control over the content.
He said he handed over his final draft just over two years later. "Penguin was shocked. My manager was shocked because I kept this from them," Khawaja said.
The bowlers
Australia's four bowlers in South Africa in 2018, including Pat Cummins, issued joint statements in 2021 denying knowledge of sandpaper being used in Cape Town. They have not yet responded to Khawaja's claims.
Greenberg, who spoke with Khawaja about the book before its release, said the bowlers are all still playing. He said they remain steadfast that they knew of no plan to tamper with the ball.
"There's no doubt that you'll hear from Pat, and you'll hear from other players over the coming days or weeks," Greenberg said.
