Secret Evidence at Australian Cricketer David Warner’s Trial Reveals Sandpapergate Claims

The open secret

Usman Khawaja has reignited Cricket Australia’s long-running Sandpapergate controversy with claims that more players knew about the ball-tampering plot than the official investigation found. Inside Mail understands similar allegations were made months ago by David Warner’s manager.

Warner has endorsed the account of his childhood friend Khawaja, who argues that the 2018 ball-tampering scandal involved more than the three players who were punished: the former Australian opener, suspended captain Steve Smith and batsman Cameron Bancroft.

For the past eight years, the accepted version has been that Warner, Smith and Bancroft were the only Australian players directly involved in the plan during the tour of South Africa.

The controversy erupted in March 2018 during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

A fiercely contested series descended into a national crisis, costing Australia its captain and vice-captain and prompting a broader investigation into the culture of the Test team.

Cricket Australia concluded that Warner had instigated the plan, Smith had failed to stop it and Bancroft had carried out the ball-tampering attempt.

Khawaja has now publicly disputed that conclusion, saying his former teammates and members of the coaching staff knew the sandpaper was being used.

However, it is understood that Warner’s longtime manager James Erskine had already made similar claims in a court document in August.

The allegations were reportedly included in a character reference submitted before Warner was sentenced for drink-driving at Waverley Local Court, months before Khawaja’s claims emerged publicly.

Warner was convicted of mid-range drink-driving and fined $1,500 on August 18. Several character references were provided to the court before sentencing.

Inside Mail sought access to Warner’s references in October, but the application was refused.

Inside Mail has nevertheless been told by a well-placed source that Erskine wrote Warner had been treated poorly after Sandpapergate and that everyone within the Australian team and its management knew sandpaper was being used on the ball.

Erskine declined to confirm the precise contents of the unpublished reference when approached by Inside Mail, but said he stood by the document.

‘I stand by my character reference,’ he said.

‘I can’t remember exactly what I said. I write thousands of emails… Obviously more than three people were involved.’

Erskine said he could not confirm or deny exactly what he had written.

His comments come after Warner backed Khawaja, whose autobiography Sabr challenges Cricket Australia’s finding that only Warner, Smith and Bancroft knew about the sandpaper plan.

That distinction has shaped the scandal for eight years. Three players were punished, while the rest of the squad and coaching staff were cleared by Cricket Australia’s investigation.

Khawaja now says knowledge of the plan was far more widespread, and Warner has publicly supported his version of events.

The renewed dispute has once again drawn former players, coaches and Cricket Australia’s leadership into the debate.

Speaking in an Instagram video from Nepal on Monday, Warner thanked Khawaja for placing his account on the public record and described it as ‘100 per cent accurate’.

He labelled Cricket Australia’s original investigation ‘rushed and botched’, asking how investigators could determine the full truth without interviewing Khawaja, who sat next to Bancroft in the dressing room.

Warner also rejected suggestions that Khawaja was making the claims simply to promote his book, pointing to the notes his former teammate had kept about the events.

‘This isn’t about reopening old wounds,’ Warner said on Instagram.

‘It’s about acknowledging that some wounds never properly healed. I stand with my brother Usman Khawaja.

‘Speaking your truth takes courage, especially when people would rather you stay silent. Time passing doesn’t replace accountability, and asking questions shouldn’t be mistaken for holding grudges.

‘Respect, honesty and accountability. That’s all anyone can ask for.’

The former vice-captain also referred to the example he wanted to set for his children.

‘Tell the truth, because lies will eventually get out,’ Warner said, recalling a conversation with his daughters.

Khawaja has insisted his claims are about securing justice for Warner, Smith and Bancroft, rather than boosting book sales.

‘It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us,’ he said.

He believes responsibility should not be limited to those who physically handled the sandpaper or were identified as organising its use.

Khawaja has also included himself in that assessment, saying he knew what was happening but failed to challenge it.

One night at Lamaro’s

Who says the long lunch has disappeared?

Inside Mail has heard a colourful, almost Joycean account of events at South Melbourne’s Lamaro’s Hotel last Friday, where prominent figures from football, business and hospitality gathered for drinks and conversation.

AFL player manager and professional headline-maker Ricky Nixon was spotted in the front bar alongside his former nemesis, Seb Costello of the Herald-Sun.

The pair famously clashed when Costello was a reporter for A Current Affair, in an incident later immortalised in the opening credits of Media Watch.

It seems the two men have since made peace, with no fists raised during this encounter.

In a private room was former VFL player Sam Kekovich, best known for his annual ‘state of the nation’ lamb advertisements.

Kekovich was entertaining a table of friends and was reportedly ‘so loud that he could be heard from the street’. Someone, after all, has to advocate for the lamb industry.

The most intriguing sighting, however, involved two people sitting outside on the street.

Our spies saw News24 firebrand Rita Panahi sharing food and drinks with publican Paul Dimattina, the former Bulldogs star who now operates Lamaro’s.

Panahi was a prominent supporter of Dimattina and fellow restaurateur Chris Lucas when both became outspoken critics of ‘Dictator’ Dan Andrews’ Covid lockdowns, which devastated Melbourne’s hospitality sector.

It is unclear whether the meeting was simply a social catch-up or something more. We asked News24 for clarification, although Panahi’s willingness to spend time with a hospitality heavyweight such as Dimattina is hardly surprising.

Her enthusiasm for fine dining is practically helping keep Melbourne’s restaurant industry alive, with sources previously claiming she visits France-Soir as many as three times a week.

Burke in the bad books

A curious inclusion caught our attention in Jacqueline Maley’s Sydney Morning Herald column last weekend, which examined Russell Brand and the culture that allows predatory celebrities to ‘hide in plain sight’.

To make her argument, Maley listed several notorious sex offenders — Jeffrey Epstein, Harvey Weinstein, Rolf Harris and… Don Burke.

Burke has faced vile allegations, including an account from sports journalist Caroline Wilson, who said he asked whether he could ‘lick her back’ at the 1996 Logie Awards while she was pregnant. However, he has never been convicted of a criminal offence.

We are hardly Team Burke, having reported in October 2025 that he was ‘bitter and conspiratorial about his ousting from the entertainment industry’ when he gave us his first interview in eight years.

Even so, placing him in the same category as convicted serial predators such as Epstein and Weinstein is a considerable leap.

His inclusion in that list would not have survived our own legal checks. Did the SMH’s pre-publication lawyers miss this one?

Dr Chris Beige

• Opinion by Rob McKnight

KIIS Sydney has launched its new breakfast program, and the early industry reaction has been less than enthusiastic.

Dr Chris Brown leads the replacement for Kyle and Jackie O, but the two programs could hardly be more different. Kyle and Jackie were provocative and distinctive; Brown, Amy Gerard and Jack Charles have so far been largely forgettable.

That result was hardly unforeseeable.

In September, Inside Mail wrote: ‘Dr Brown is an accomplished TV presenter, but radio requires a larger-than-life presence to drive a show — something television stars often find difficult when they move into radio.

‘Television is about reading scripts, while radio thrives on openness and connecting personally with listeners.’

Perhaps responding to that criticism, Dr Chris told news.com.au he was ‘finally ready to tell the truth about his private life’.

‘You need to bring a lot of yourself [to radio],’ Brown said. ‘And one of the surprises of our new show is how much of my life I’m going to share.

‘People are going to get the most real version of me that they’ve ever had,’ he added. ‘And I’m not worried about that… I am actually going to find it quite refreshing.’

We are still waiting for that promised openness, despite Brown bringing his girlfriend onto the program to discuss his bedroom habits — without offering much meaningful insight.

Brown is a capable television presenter, but connecting with a radio audience will require him to reveal more of his personal life. So far, the stories have centred on media events and experiences that do not resonate with ordinary listeners.

It all feels very media-centric and very ‘in’.

That approach can work. When Sandilands tells a showbiz story, he takes listeners behind the scenes, warts and all. Brown has so far only skimmed the surface.

The official Instagram account offered little evidence of standout material this week. During the first two days, only a handful of clips were posted, including part of Monday’s program.

The remaining clips contained nothing that could reasonably be described as shareable.

Industry chatter has been particularly harsh. Insiders we contacted are trying to remain positive, but some already regard the program as a failure. Amy has genuine potential and is delivering the strongest stories and lines. The male presenters have considerable ground to make up.

The ratings will not be known until the new year, but the early signs are not encouraging.

Where the sun don’t (Endemol) Shine

• Opinion by Rob McKnight

There was a time when Endemol Shine Australia could set its own terms with television networks desperate to secure its programs.

The production company is behind some of Australia’s biggest shows, including MAFS, MasterChef, Tipping Point, Australian Survivor, Big Brother and Lego Masters.

That is an impressive portfolio, and the company has long been known for taking a hard line in contract negotiations.

Now, however, the balance of power appears to be shifting.

Endemol Shine Australia is facing a shrinking slate and falling revenue, while budgets are being cut and several major formats face an uncertain future. Broadcasters are increasingly prepared to walk away when the numbers do not add up.

MAFS remains ESA’s biggest program by some distance, but the UK version has been cancelled following serious sexual misconduct allegations. British broadcaster Channel 4 has also removed the Australian edition from its multichannel E4.

The Australian production is a separate entity and is not facing the same allegations. It has, however, encountered its own controversy. WA Police are investigating after a groom complained that private audio messages he sent to another woman were played to his on-screen bride.

He contacted police immediately, describing the incident as a serious invasion of privacy. Two producers have been stood down and, significantly, Nine is directing all media questions to ESA.

Former contestants have also criticised the show’s methods, and the controversy has reached the point where Nine is considering its future. The format is too valuable to disappear overnight, but its long-term position is no longer guaranteed.

Losing MAFS would be a substantial blow for ESA at a time when the company is already facing an uncertain outlook.

As we have previously reported, Survivor is unlikely to return in 2027, Big Brother is under pressure after middling ratings this year, Lego Masters has not been confirmed for 2027 and The Hundred with Andy Lee was absent from Nine’s announcements for next year.

That represents a significant amount of programming potentially disappearing within a single year.

Programs come and go, but falling advertising revenue means more shows are being cancelled than commissioned. It is a worrying environment for the entire television industry — particularly for a production company that has spent years at the top of the market.

The central question is whether Endemol Shine Australia can remain viable in the long term.

A Stellar finale

A thought for Phoebe Burgess and Pip Edwards: News Corp’s Sunday magazine Stellar is coming to an end.

The publication, which appeared in the metropolitan Sunday newspapers, is being discontinued after roughly a decade, according to sources familiar with the decision.

Editor Sarah Le Marquand will stay with News Corp. We understand producing Stellar represented only part of her broader role within the organisation.

Inside Mail understands Stellar will be replaced by a new national entertainment offering spanning both digital and print.

The Coast is clear?

Alex Andruska, the former financial adviser to Australia’s biggest-ever bankrupt, Jon Adgemis, is leaving Sydney after serving as a Woollahra councillor.

The city that brought him considerable trouble is now behind him, with a source telling Inside Mail that Andruska recently accepted a new position in Queensland.

For several weeks, there had been talk that he was living on the Gold Coast and attending council meetings by Zoom. A permanent move appeared inevitable.

Asked about the relocation and what it meant for his position on Woollahra Council, Andruska said by text: ‘I’m spending time in Queensland to care for a family member.’

Andruska became a key witness in Federal Court examinations into Adgemis’ affairs, making a series of damaging allegations that have received extensive coverage in the AFR, The Australian and other publications.

His evidence described a sprawling corporate network in which, he alleged, Adgemis controlled information, transferred money between entities and left even senior executives unable to see the complete picture.

Some observers may regard that as an extraordinary position for a chief financial officer to occupy.

Readers could reasonably ask how the person closest to the accounts appeared to know so little about the story those accounts were telling.

In any case, we wish him well in the Sunshine State.

Greens’ dirty delete

The Australian Young Greens have quietly removed a short-lived social media post, offering another example of the party drawing on the US political playbook while simultaneously criticising the ‘Americanisation’ of Australian politics.

The post imitated social media content from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. One graphic joked about Brisbane’s heavy rain and claimed former Griffith MP Max Chandler-Mather had ‘showed up’ to help during flooding, causing ‘ten inches’ of rain.

The joke did not remain online for long.

Inside Mail understands the post was rapidly deleted after the attempted sex joke involving Brisbane’s floodwaters was poorly received.

At least one person outside the Young Greens was particularly unhappy with the post, creating a minor internal headache.

The Greens were contacted for comment.

Last ticket to Ryde

The NSW Liberals’ retreat from politics reached a new low last week when first-term MP Jordan Lane announced he would leave Parliament rather than contest the next election. Lane holds Ryde by a margin of only 54 votes.

The announcement angered Liberal figures, many of whom were caught off guard and questioned the timing. A replacement candidate will now have only four months to campaign.

Unlike Oatley’s Mark Coure and Badgerys Creek’s Tanya Davies, who are both leaving after lengthy parliamentary careers, Lane was elected only in 2023 and had been expected to defend the seat.

Many Liberals were particularly annoyed by the way the 32-year-old delivered the news.

Rather than alerting supporters through party channels, Lane announced his departure on social media with the line: ‘it’s not you Ryde, it’s me’.

Liberal sources say the anger reflects a belief that Ryde was one of the party’s strongest prospects ahead of the election, with Lane proving himself a capable campaigner in difficult conditions.

While Liberal campaigns across Sydney have faced significant headwinds, Lane had recently held a fundraiser attended by more than 300 people. That turnout had encouraged hopes that the party could retain the seat.

There is also disappointment because of the strength of the local Liberal organisation.

The Ryde branch has spent years developing one of the Liberals’ most effective campaign operations, supported by control of Ryde Council and a volunteer network capable of mobilising hundreds of people during elections.

Inside Mail understands Liberal MPs were shown internal polling in their electorates in recent months, which is believed to have influenced several retirement decisions.

A return to Liberal politics would now be difficult for Lane, with former allies accusing him of betraying supporters and squandering years of work by the hundreds of volunteers who backed him.

Minns plays the long game

Premier Chris Minns has spent recent weeks announcing Labor candidates across Sydney after months of negotiations over key electorates. One Nation’s growing influence has raised concerns in several traditionally safe seats.

In a move familiar to Labor insiders, however, Minns has used captain’s calls to install a number of candidates.

The closed-door selection of Labor’s Winston Hills candidate, Pat Gooley, has frustrated some local branch members who wanted an open preselection process.

Such interventions are not unusual within Labor. The party has long faced criticism from opponents and grassroots members for replacing rank-and-file ballots with factional agreements and union-backed deals intended to prevent internal conflict.

One of the most important changes is Emily Suvall’s decision to resign from the NSW Legislative Council and contest the must-win seat of Cessnock. Labor is increasingly concerned about One Nation’s appeal among regional voters.

Suvall’s resignation will create an Upper House vacancy. Inside Mail understands the position is expected to go to Labor Left factional figure and Albanese ally George Simon.

Simon has been NSW Labor’s Assistant General Secretary since May 2019 and is considered an influential powerbroker within the party’s organisational wing.

At this year’s NSW Labor conference, Simon delivered a fiery speech in which he described himself as ‘Pauline Hanson’s worst nightmare’.

Blocked!

Sydney mortgage broker and outspoken critic of Labor’s budget, Joseph Daoud, appears to have fallen out of favour with at least two senior ministers after discovering he could no longer tag Finance Minister Katy Gallagher or Housing Minister Clare O’Neil in social media posts.

Daoud shot to prominence after bidding $16,000 to play a charity tennis match against Anthony Albanese. He says the social media restrictions followed his direct challenge to Labor’s claims about housing affordability.

The dispute began after Daoud published a post aimed at O’Neil, questioning her repeated assertion that the government was making housing more affordable for first-home buyers.

‘We’re making housing more affordable for first home buyers,’ he quoted the Housing Minister as saying, before comparing mortgage repayments at the start of the year with the amounts expected after another Reserve Bank interest-rate rise.

‘Correct me if I’m wrong, but how does $500-plus extra per month in repayments make housing more affordable?’ Daoud asked.

‘Clare O’Neil, I await your answer.’

The mortgage broker said he discovered he could no longer tag the minister when he attempted to continue the discussion this week.

Daoud claims O’Neil has blocked him on social media and that he has also been unable to tag Gallagher in his posts.

His planned follow-up post was to focus on new ABS data and Labor’s claims about helping workers.

‘Let’s have a look at some data this morning. If you’re a worker, as Clare O’Neil claims, this is how much her Labor Government has helped you in the last 12 months,’ the draft post said, before outlining rising living costs and continuing housing affordability concerns.

Daoud told Inside Mail he was surprised to learn that O’Neil had blocked him, arguing that the minister had chosen to avoid scrutiny rather than address his criticism.

‘I expected this from Katy, but Clare seems like a much nicer person and a lot more approachable,’ he said.

‘I guess blocking questions from an everyday Australian is much easier than answering data-backed questions.’