- Wasim Akram says bowlers can easily tell sandpaper damage from normal wear on a ball.
- Pat Cummins called Usman Khawaja's allegations '100 per cent wrong' and 'complete and utter nonsense'.
- The row was reignited by claims in Khawaja's autobiography, Sabr.
- Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening its investigation into the 2018 scandal.
Pakistan fast-bowling legend Wasim Akram has challenged Pat Cummins' claim that he knew nothing about the use of sandpaper during the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. In Wasim's view, any experienced bowler would recognise at once that a ball had been deliberately damaged.
He made the remarks in a video posted on social media on Saturday from Melbourne. They came a day after the Australia captain rejected fresh allegations about what the team knew in South Africa.
As a bowler, I’ll have a look at the ball and know straight away something is not right.
Wasim Akram, former Pakistan captain
'A bowler knows straight away'
Wasim said marks left by sandpaper look quite different from those caused by ordinary contact with the ground. He said a bowler looks after the ball and shines one side of it, whether it is the fifth, tenth or fiftieth over.
He suggested a simple test. Anyone could take a semi-new ball, rub sandpaper on it and compare the marks with those from normal use.
Wasim, a former Pakistan captain and widely regarded as one of the finest exponents of reverse swing, called Cummins "a very close friend". He insisted he was not taking sides in the dispute.
Timeline
- 2018Cameron Bancroft is caught on camera using sandpaper on the ball in the third Test at Newlands, Cape Town.
- After the TestSteve Smith, David Warner and Bancroft receive suspensions, and Cricket Australia reviews the team's culture.
- FridayPat Cummins rejects Usman Khawaja's allegations at a press conference in Sydney.
- SaturdayWasim Akram questions Cummins' denial in a video posted from Melbourne.
Cummins rejects the allegations
Cummins addressed the matter at a lengthy press conference in Sydney on Friday. He described the claims as "100 per cent wrong" and "complete and utter nonsense".
The Australia captain said he had no knowledge of sandpaper being taken onto the field and denied being an architect of the plan. He also said he was genuinely shocked to learn that Usman Khawaja had warned Cameron Bancroft to be careful while using the sandpaper.
How the row resurfaced
The controversy has returned because of revelations by former Australia opener Khawaja in his autobiography, Sabr. He alleged that knowledge of the ball-tampering plan was widespread in the Australian dressing room during the 2018 tour of South Africa, including among the bowlers.
The scandal itself unfolded in the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town, where Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to change the condition of the ball. Then-captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and Bancroft were all suspended. Cricket Australia also carried out a wider review of the team's culture.
Questions over Australia's image
Wasim said the affair had raised broader questions about Australia's reputation. "Australians are famous for their straightforwardness, their hardness on the field and off the field, and most importantly honesty. I think that's why the whole nation has been under stress a bit," he said.
Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening its investigation despite the new claims. More than eight years after Newlands, the episode is again putting the team's conduct and the credibility of its account under scrutiny.
Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening its investigation into the 2018 scandal, so no fresh official inquiry is planned.
Questions and answers
What did Wasim Akram say about Pat Cummins?
Wasim questioned Cummins' claim that he did not know about the sandpaper. He said a bowler would immediately notice that a ball had been deliberately scratched, but he added that he was not taking sides and called Cummins a very close friend.
What triggered the renewed controversy?
Former Australia opener Usman Khawaja made claims in his autobiography, Sabr. He alleged that knowledge of the ball-tampering plan was widespread in the Australian dressing room, including among the bowlers, during the 2018 South Africa tour.
Will Cricket Australia reopen its investigation?
No. Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening its inquiry into the 2018 ball-tampering scandal despite the fresh allegations.
Image: The original uploader was PaddyBriggs at English Wikipedia. / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
