Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja disputes findings in 2018 ball-tampering probe

SYDNEY: Former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja said in a new autobiography excerpted on Saturday that discussions about ball-tampering during Australia’s 2018 tour of South Africa were more widespread within the team than Cricket Australia’s investigation found.

The “Sandpapergate” scandal over Australia’s scuffing of the ball with sandpaper in the March 2018 test in Cape Town sparked a major integrity crisis for Cricket Australia.

In a statement on Saturday, the governing body defended its 2018 probe that concluded prior knowledge was confined to three players — Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

Khawaja, in extracts of his autobiography published in the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday, claimed “open, lighthearted discussions” were held during the South Africa series about ways to scuff up the ball, including by using sandpaper.

He said discussion of tampering was not confined to batters, bowlers or staff but extended throughout the team.

“It was all of us,” Khawaja, a former top-order batsman who played 88 tests for Australia, said in the book, according to the newspaper.

Khawaja was cleared of wrongdoing in the probe and announced his retirement in January.

Cricket Australia in 2018 imposed playing bans and other penalties on Smith, Warner and Bancroft. Head coach Darren Lehmann was cleared of direct involvement but resigned soon after the series.

Cricket Australia said on Saturday: “All relevant information presented to CA to date has been properly considered and we remain comfortable with the findings of our integrity process.”

It added: “There has been the ongoing opportunity to present any relevant information, and this remains the case.”

Australian captain Pat Cummins, one of the bowlers who played in the infamous test at Cape Town, this month dismissed suggestions that Khawaja’s autobiography ‌could trigger further fallout when published.

South Africa won the 2018 four-match test series 3-1.

Australia’s test team last month returned to South Africa for the first time since 2018 and lost the three-match series 2-1.