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Warner accuses Cricket Australia of ‘cover-up’
David Warner has accused Cricket Australia of conducting a “cover-up” over its investigation into the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. His comments renew questions about who knew of the plan to use sandpaper, after Usman Khawaja claimed in his autobiography that the whole Australian team was aware.
Warner said he understood that bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon were not interviewed, and questioned how CA could conclude they knew nothing. The four frontline bowlers, including Pat Cummins, have said they were unaware; Cummins says he was interviewed. CA says all players had the opportunity to speak and could provide new evidence, but it will not reopen the investigation. Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft received lengthy bans, while Warner was given a year-long ban.
In short
- Warner questions whether CA properly investigated the scandal.
- Khawaja says the whole team knew about the sandpaper.
- CA says it will not reopen the investigation.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Warner’s concern is that an investigation cannot confidently clear players it did not interview, particularly when Khawaja has since claimed the team knew about the plan. Reopening the inquiry could help establish a fuller account and strengthen trust in Cricket Australia’s handling of the scandal.
The case against
Cricket Australia can argue that all players had an opportunity to provide information, that the bowlers have consistently denied knowing about the plan, and that Cummins says he was interviewed. It may also judge that no new evidence has emerged to justify reopening a concluded investigation, while remaining open to receiving further evidence.
Explained simply
Cricket Australia, known as CA, is the body that runs Australia’s national cricket teams. In 2018, during a Test match against South Africa, Australian players used sandpaper to alter the ball’s surface, which is against cricket’s rules. The episode became known as the ball-tampering scandal.
David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were banned over their roles in the incident; Warner’s ban lasted a year. The dispute now centres on who knew about the plan: Usman Khawaja has said the whole team was aware, while Australia’s frontline bowlers have said they were not. The question matters because it concerns how responsibility for the incident was established.