Usman Khawaja claimed on Saturday that Australia’s entire touring team knew about the 2018 Cape Town ball-tampering plot. He also alleged that players used sandpaper during the preceding Test in Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha. His account challenges Cricket Australia’s finding that only Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft had prior knowledge.
“It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us,” Khawaja told the Sydney Morning Herald.
The former opener retired this year after 88 Tests. Meanwhile, his autobiography, Sabr, arrives next week with a chapter on the scandal. After the Cape Town Test, Khawaja said he urged the team to accept collective responsibility instead of blaming three players.
“In an ideal world, I don’t want to do this,” Khawaja said.
“I don’t want to be the one who comes out and talks about the truth. The issue is that I genuinely thought after eight years the truth would have been out by now.
“Maybe I thought Davey (Warner) would have exposed it, or someone else would have talked about it more. I just didn’t think it was going to come down to this.”
According to Khawaja’s account, players discussed roughening the ball during the second Test. Once they identified sandpaper as effective, Smith allegedly walked away, saying he wanted no involvement. Bancroft then allegedly volunteered to use it during South Africa’s first innings, when the ball swung significantly.
Following the Cape Town scandal, Cricket Australia sent the trio home. Smith lost the captaincy and received a one-year ban. Warner also received a 12-month suspension and lost his leadership roles, while Bancroft received nine months. Subsequently, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon publicly denied prior knowledge in 2021.
Lehmann disputes widespread knowledge
However, former coach Darren Lehmann challenged Khawaja’s account. He resigned after the series.
“I don’t think everybody would have known,” he told ABC.
“I can’t speak for them (the players) at all. I only know what I know, and I know that ball-tampering was a big part of the game of cricket.
“Now it’s obsolete, but that doesn’t make it right either and we paid a heavy price for that.”
Lehmann also said the allegations revived “bad memories”.
“For the families and the people involved, I feel for them right now because it’s taking them back to a really bad place,” he said.
“It’s been eight years. You get to a place where you move on, and I’ve moved on with my life.”
Nevertheless, Cricket Australia said it remained open to evidence.
“There has been a great deal of speculation in the eight years since the 2018 Cape Town Test, including extensive media coverage throughout last month’s series in South Africa,” it said.
“During this time there has been the ongoing opportunity to present any relevant information, and this remains the case.
“All relevant information presented to CA to date has been properly considered and we remain comfortable with the findings of our integrity process.”
