Another member of Australia’s 2018 South Africa touring party has challenged Pat Cummins’ account of the infamous sandpaper scandal, adding fresh fuel to the long-running controversy.
The latest development came as David Warner renewed his criticism of Cricket Australia (CA) on social media, while former Test quick Chadd Sayers disputed Cummins’ claim that he was unaware sandpaper had been used on the ball.
Sayers, who was part of the Australian squad in South Africa, said the use of sandpaper was known throughout the touring group.
His account conflicts with Cummins’ denial and aligns with claims made by Usman Khawaja.
‘I believe everyone in that side knew what was happening and what was being used,’ Sayers told SEN radio on Sunday.
He also said sandpaper had been used during the second Test in Port Elizabeth, before the incident that erupted during the third Test in Cape Town, when television footage showed Cameron Bancroft appearing to tamper with the ball.
‘In Port Elizabeth … it was used in two Test matches,’ Sayers said.
‘There were discussions in the changerooms about how we were going to get the ball to reverse and what was going to be used.
Chadd Sayers (pictured), part of Australia’s 2018 Test touring party in South Africa, said every player knew sandpaper was being used on the ball
His account contradicts Test captain Pat Cummins’ (pictured) denial and supports Usman Khawaja’s recollection of the events
‘I just know there were numerous conversations about it in the changerooms.’
Sayers, who did not play in either the Port Elizabeth or Cape Town Tests, said he took the sandpaper from the field after it had been used on the ball in Port Elizabeth.
‘I knew it was going to be used, as I believe everyone else did,’ said the retired South Australian fast bowler, who made his only Test appearance in the fourth and final match of the series.
‘The plan was for Cameron Bancroft to take it out, for the umpires to drop the ball on the ground and for him to carry on with his business.
‘It was handed to me to take off. That wasn’t planned or anything; I was simply the player taking drinks out at the time.’
Sayers also supported Khawaja’s claim that the touring party discussed taking collective responsibility after Bancroft was caught on camera with sandpaper tucked into his trousers during the Cape Town Test.
‘After what happened in Cape Town, we all sat in the changerooms after play that day. For probably 60 to 90 minutes, we discussed what had happened and, I guess, where we went from there,’ he said.
‘At that stage, I don’t think we understood how serious it would become back in Australia.’
Sayers said he felt ‘awkward’ watching Cummins reject the sandpaper allegations and dismiss Khawaja’s account as nonsense during a media conference on Friday.
‘I didn’t like the way he went after Usman and made it personal,’ Sayers said.
‘I can probably understand why, but I don’t think it needed to happen.’
Khawaja addressed the dispute publicly for the first time on Sunday since Cummins’ denial, insisting that his version of events was truthful.
‘What I wrote in my book is what I wrote in my book, and it’s the truth,’ he told The Australian at Sydney Airport.
‘That’s all I have to say.’
Warner, meanwhile, claimed he was not given all the available evidence before receiving the most severe punishment over the ball-tampering scandal.
In an Instagram post on Saturday, Warner wrote: ‘As far as I am aware, CA did not interview Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc or Nathan Lyon during its 2018 investigation.
‘If that’s correct, how can CA continue to push the idea that the bowlers didn’t know?
Usman Khawaja spoke publicly for the first time since Cummins’ denial on Sunday, insisting that he had told ‘the truth’
David Warner (pictured centre) said he was not shown all the evidence before receiving the heaviest punishment over Sandpapergate
‘It appears they decided who they wanted to blame from the very beginning, ran a poor investigation to serve that purpose and now want to maintain the false narrative that the bowlers had no idea.
‘That looks like a cover-up.’
After multiple media reports confirmed that the bowlers had been interviewed by CA, Warner returned to Instagram on Sunday to clarify his earlier comments.
‘Just to clarify, “As far as I am aware” was the point,’ he wrote.
‘I was never told that the bowlers had been interviewed or that they had provided statements.
‘That information would have been extremely useful when I was forced to make decisions in 2018.
‘Why weren’t we given all the evidence by CA?’
The now-retired international batsman was banned from all cricket for 12 months by CA and stripped of the Test vice-captaincy.
Steve Smith was also suspended for a year and removed as captain, while Bancroft received a nine-month ban.
