Chadd Sayers backs Khawaja, saying the whole Australian team knew.
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Former Australian fast bowler Chadd Sayers has thrown his support behind Usman Khawaja in the 2018 ball tampering scandal, going against Test skipper Pat Cummins, by stating the entire team knew about the sandpaper plot.
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The 2018 tour of South Africa was one of the worst moments in Australian cricket. During the third Test in Cape Town, the team was caught using sandpaper to change the condition of the match ball.
Steve Smith and David Warner were both banned for 12 months by Cricket Australia, while Cameron Bancroft was banned for nine months.
Despite the incident occurring years ago, there has been much debate about who knew what. Khawaja’s recent comments have reignited this conversation; however, Cummins has brushed it aside. Sayers was part of the squad, so he can provide new insight.
What Sayers Said
- “I can confirm it wasn’t just Cape Town. We were talking about sandpaper in the second Test in Port Elizabeth.
- “We were having open conversations about how we were going to get reverse swing and what we were going to use,”
- He said he got dragged into it. As the 12th man in Port Elizabeth, he was given the sandpaper to remove it from the field after the umpires dropped the ball. He said it was due to his role as drinks runner and not a planned conspiracy.
- “There was a long team meeting. We had a 60-90 minute meeting in the changing rooms after the game in Cape Town.
- “There were some people that weren’t keen on us all going in the same direction. I sort of remember two people. It’s also mentioned in Khawaja’s book, but I won’t say who they were.”
Quick Stats and Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | 2018 ball-tampering scandal |
| Tour | Australia in South Africa |
| Test where tampering occurred | Third Test, Cape Town |
| Earlier Test with sandpaper talk (per Sayers) | Second Test, Port Elizabeth |
| Sayer’s role at Port Elizabeth | 12th man |
| Post-Cape Town team meeting | 60 to 90 minutes |
| Smith and Warner bans | 12 months each |
| Bancroft ban | 9 months |
Key Takeaways: Tactical Insight
- Reverse swing is a team effort. Sayers believes it is highly unlikely that the bowlers wouldn’t have known what was going on. Reverse swing is very strict and requires the whole fielding side to work together. Any small mistake in the way the ball is handled can cause reverse swing to fail straight away. Therefore, due to the strictness required everyone had to be on board with the plan.
- There are two conflicting statements here. Cummins stated that “Anyone saying that it was a team effort is completely wrong,” he also said that Khawaja had been reckless with his teammates’ reputations. He also added that he had no recollection of team meetings where everyone was responsible. However, Sayers contradicts this.
- There is an issue of trust. Cummins is the captain of the current test team so there is a conflict between him and his old teammates.
- Sayers says that he is neutral and is just telling his side of the story. However, he admits that he didn’t realise how much Cummins took his frustration out on Khawaja.
Warner Adds Fuel
David Warner has added to the mix, claiming that the original 2018 investigation by Cricket Australia was like a cover-up.
He also said he never knew whether Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon were formally interviewed and that having all the evidence would have been important when he was under pressure to make decisions in 2018.
What’s Next?
- More commentary is likely to come from more former players.
- Calls for clarity. There may be more calls for more clarity on the 2018 investigation.
- Cummins’ reaction. Fans will be eager to see if Cummins talks about the claims made by Sayers in his next media appearance.
FAQ
Who is Chadd Sayers?
A former Australian fast bowler.
What did Sayers say?
Sayers claimed that he said that every player knew about the plan to use sandpaper and that it was discussed in Port Elizabeth.
How does this differ from Pat Cummins?
Cummins states that it is not true that every player knew. Cummins also states that he cannot remember any team meetings regarding accountability. Sayers mentions that there was a 60-90 minute meeting.
Did Sayers name any players who had disagreements with the team approach?
No. He mentioned that he was unsure but remembers two players being mentioned (which is also mentioned in Khawaja’s book). However he refused to name them.
What does Warner think?
Warner thinks that the investigation done by Cricket Australia in 2018 was a cover up. He also states that he was never informed if key bowlers were interviewed.
Are these claims proven?
No. These are just the opinions of former players. The story is very controversial.
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