Pat Cummins Denies Sandpaper Claim as Australian Cricket Urged to Stop
Australia captain Pat Cummins spent more than an hour answering questions in Sydney on November 13 about Usman Khawaja's sandpaper allegations. Fans, players and administrators are now calling for Australian cricket to stop turning on itself over the 2018 Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.
Australian cricket is being urged to stop turning on itself after Test captain Pat Cummins spent more than an hour answering questions in Sydney on Friday, November 13, about Usman Khawaja's claims over the 2018 sandpaper scandal.
Cummins said he wanted the matter closed. "I don't want to talk about this again after today," he told reporters. "Even if it takes all day... I'll stay here until we have no more questions."
What Khawaja claims
Khawaja's memoir, Sabr, renewed scrutiny of the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa. Three players admitted involvement at the time and received lengthy bans. Khawaja writes that the whole team knew about the plan to rough up the ball with sandpaper.
He says he wanted the group to take collective responsibility after batsman Cameron Bancroft was caught with sandpaper on the field. Khawaja has since said he does not want a "witch hunt" and has declined to say who knew what.
Cummins responds
Cummins called the book a series of allegations he is still trying to understand. He said that if Khawaja claims the team knew sandpaper was going onto the field, "he's 100% wrong". He also pointed out that he was 24 and playing his 13th Test in Cape Town.
David Warner, who received the heaviest punishment of the three banned players, said Khawaja had written the truth. He said Cummins' press conference "threw him under the bus".
Steve Smith, captain in 2018 and also suspended, is travelling overseas and has said nothing publicly. Bancroft is also staying quiet for now.
Coach named in reports
Reports in Australia have identified former bowling coach David Saker as the unnamed coach in Khawaja's book. They allege he repeatedly told Smith and Bancroft "you can't say sandpaper" before the infamous 2018 press conference. Saker has not responded in the material reported. He reportedly signed a non-disclosure agreement with Cricket Australia when he left in February 2019.
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg has ruled out reopening its investigation, though some are pressing for one.
Fans weary
Spectators at the New South Wales v South Australia Sheffield Shield match in Sydney said they wanted to move on. "I'm a bit bored of it," one said. Another, 28-year-old Josh, called the revival "a bit ridiculous, after eight years".
There is also concern about the men's team this summer, after a poor tour of South Africa last month, its first Tests there since 2018.
