- 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.
In this article
Wasim Akram 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
Wasim Akram: 'A bowler knows straight away'
Wasim Akram 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.
In other words, a bowler is in constant touch with the condition of the ball, which is why Wasim believes a deliberate change would not go unnoticed. 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 Akram, 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.
In short, Cummins' position is a flat denial. He says he did not know about the sandpaper, he says he did not help to plan its use, and he describes the allegations against him as completely wrong.
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.
Why Wasim Akram's view carries weight
Wasim Akram is a former Pakistan captain and is widely regarded as one of the finest exponents of reverse swing. That background is why his comments on the condition of a ball are being noticed. His argument rests on what a bowler would see and feel when handling the ball over the course of an innings.
At the same time, he has described Cummins as a very close friend and insisted that he is not taking sides. His remarks are therefore framed as an observation about how bowlers look after the ball, and they sit alongside the Australia captain's firm denial of any knowledge.
Questions over Australia's image
Wasim Akram 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.
Explained: the 2018 sandpaper row in brief
What happened in 2018. During the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town, Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper on the ball. Smith, Warner and Bancroft were suspended, and Cricket Australia reviewed the culture of the team.
What the new claims say. In his autobiography, Sabr, former Australia opener Usman Khawaja alleged that knowledge of the plan was widespread in the dressing room on the 2018 tour of South Africa, including among the bowlers. Cummins, now the Australia captain, says this is wrong. That is where Wasim Akram's comments enter the debate, as he argues that a bowler would notice sandpaper damage straight away.
Where things stand. Cummins has called the allegations "100 per cent wrong" and "complete and utter nonsense", while Wasim Akram has said he is not taking sides. Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening its investigation, so no fresh official inquiry is planned.
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 Akram 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.
Is Wasim Akram taking sides in the dispute?
No. Wasim Akram insisted he was not taking sides. He called Cummins "a very close friend" while still saying that a bowler would know straight away if something was wrong with the ball.
What test did Wasim suggest?
He suggested that anyone could take a semi-new ball, rub sandpaper on it and compare the marks with those left by normal use. He said sandpaper marks look quite different from those caused by contact with the ground.
What did Cummins say in response to the allegations?
Speaking at a press conference in Sydney on Friday, Cummins called the claims "100 per cent wrong" and "complete and utter nonsense". He said he had no knowledge of sandpaper being taken onto the field and denied being an architect of the plan.
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.
Who was suspended after the Newlands Test?
Then-captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were all suspended. Bancroft had been caught on camera using sandpaper on the ball in the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town.
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
