Cricket Australia breaks silence after David Warner questions 2018 ball-tampering investigation
Follow
The 2018 ball-tampering scandal in Australian cricket has reignited after former opener David Warner accused Cricket Australia (CA) of conducting an incomplete investigation into the incident. Warner, speaking on Instagram, questioned why key bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon were reportedly not interviewed during the original probe, suggesting the inquiry was flawed and potentially biased.
His comments follow the release of Usman Khawaja’s autobiography, *Sabr*, which includes new claims that the entire Australian team—including players and coaching staff—knew about the sandpaper tactic used during the 2018 South Africa tour. Khawaja also alleged that Cameron Bancroft used sandpaper during the second Test in Port Elizabeth after retrieving an unattended ball near the boundary, adding to the controversy surrounding the original incident at Newlands in Cape Town during the third Test on March 24, 2018.
Cricket Australia has defended its handling of the case, stating that all players were given the opportunity to share their accounts during the investigation and that new evidence could still be presented. The governing body, led by CEO Todd Greenberg, has ruled out reopening the inquiry, maintaining that the original process was thorough.
Despite the board’s stance, Warner’s allegations and Khawaja’s revelations have renewed scrutiny over the scandal, with Warner calling the investigation’s conclusions ‘a cover-up’ and questioning the integrity of the findings.