David Warner delivers blistering attack on Australia’s top cricket organisation over Sandpapergate investigation – as Pat Cummins appears carefree on family walk after shutting down Usman Khawaja’s controversial claims
David Warner has claimed Cricket Australia’s investigation into Sandpapergate ‘stinks of a cover up’ just 24 hours after accusing Australian Test captain Pat Cummins of throwing Usman Khawaja ‘under the bus’.
Khawaja claimed in his new book Sabr that the wider Australian team and coaching staff were aware of the plan to use sandpaper on the match ball during the 2018 Test series against South Africa in an attempt to generate reverse swing.
During the Cape Town Test, then-opener Bancroft was caught by cameras using a small strip of sandpaper to scuff up one side of the match ball.
Following the match Bancroft was served with a nine-month ban from playing professional cricket in Australia, while then-captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner each received a year’s suspension.
The claims rocked the cricket world, with Warner defending his friend Khawaja on Friday, saying: ‘I still stick by what Uzzie’s written in that book; it’s the truth.’
Just 24 hours later, Warner published a statement on social media claiming Cricket Australia’s 2018 investigation into the scandal was ‘shoddy’.
Australian Test captain Pat Cummins was seen on a carefree family outing on Saturday just 24 hours after blasting former teammate Usman Khawaja’s Sandpapergate claims as ‘nonsense’
Khawaja (pictured with Cummins in 2018) claimed in his new book that the wider Australian team and coaching staff were aware of the plan to use sandpaper on the match ball during the 2018 Test series against South Africa in an attempt to generate reverse swing
Cummins’ wife Rebecca is pictured in a casual t-shirt and shorts during the walk
‘As far as I am aware, CA did not interview Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc or Nathan Lyon in their 2018 investigation,’ he said on social media.
‘If that’s correct, then how can CA push the idea that the bowlers didn’t know?’
Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon denied all knowledge of the plans in a statement in 2021.
Starc was the first teammate this week to make a statement on Khawaja’s claims, adamant he did not know about the use of sandpaper. Cummins described the allegation as ‘complete and utter nonsense’ on Friday.
He accused the organisation of running a ‘shoddy investigation’, deciding ‘who they wanted to blame’ before maintaining a ‘false narrative that the bowlers had no idea’, and claiming it ‘stinks of a cover up’.
The Daily Mail has contacted CA for comment regarding Warner’s claims.
A spokesman for the organisation reiterated their previous stance in a statement to ABC News.
‘As we have stated previously, all players were given the opportunity to speak at the time of the initial investigation and have had the ability to come forward with new evidence in the eight years since,’ they said.
Cummins addressed claims about Sandpapergate on Friday in a press conference lasting more than an hour before saying he would not be speaking on the issue again
David Warner has branded Cricket Australia’s investigation into Sandpapergate ‘shoddy’
Dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, Cummins walked with Rebecca, their children and dog through their quiet neighbourhood
‘Subsequently, CA has respected every player and former player’s right to provide their own version of events.’
CA chief executive Todd Greenberg ruled out reopening the investigation into the matter on Tuesday morning.
As Warner has continued to defend Khawaja’s claims, Cummins was spotted with wife Rebecca and their two children during a morning walk in Bronte, seemingly unfazed by the renewed Sandpapergate debate.
The right-arm pace bowler insisted that, after his public remarks on Friday, he would not be touching on the scandal again.
Dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, Cummins walked with Rebecca, their children and dog through their quiet neighbourhood.
It was a notable difference from his forthright and hard-hitting press conference in Sydney that lasted well over an hour.
‘When Khawaja says we all knew, if by that he means that we knew sandpaper was going out in the field, he’s 100 per cent wrong,’ Cummins said.
‘I’ve said that consistently for the last eight years. [Usman] says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball-tamper with sandpaper. That’s complete and utter nonsense.
Cummins’ demeanour was significantly more relaxed compared to his forthright and hard-hitting press conference in Sydney that lasted well over an hour
Following Warner’s criticism, a CA spokesperson said all players were given the opportunity to speak at the time of the initial investigation and have had the ability to come forward with new evidence in the eight years since
CA chief executive Todd Greenberg ruled out reopening the investigation into the matter on Tuesday morning
‘It’s something I’ve actually been grappling with the last couple days… Usman is a friend, but I think the way he’s been quite casual and flippant with people’s lives and reputations… I don’t think that’s okay, and I don’t think that’s what friends do.’
The family outing came after Cummins was filmed having an animated conversation with his wife outside their home earlier this week.
Cummins laughed off the spat on Friday, and revealed his wife was actually upset with his former teammate.
‘It’s… very comical. Becky wears her heart on her sleeve. We weren’t having a spat. Becky was very frustrated, animated and really not happy with Usman,’ Cummins said.
‘She’s always just said to be honest and tell the details and put your washing away.
‘I’ve been with Becky since well before that tour, so she’s seen everything. She leaves it all with me. So, she’s just saying, like, show your emotion because there are a lot of people here hurting.’
The 2018 investigation by CA found only Bancroft, captain Steve Smith and vice-captain Warner were aware of the plan.
Last week, the organisation responded to the claims made by Khawaja in his book with a statement.
‘All relevant information presented to CA to date has been properly considered and we remain comfortable with the findings of our integrity process,’ a CA spokesman said.
