Sports · Cricket · 46 mins ago
Marsh declines to discuss Sandpapergate as Cummins prepares to respond
Mitchell Marsh declined to discuss Australia's 2018 ball-tampering scandal at a press conference in Perth on Thursday.
The controversy involves the use of sandpaper to rough up the ball during a Test against South Africa in Cape Town.
Usman Khawaja's new autobiography has renewed questions about who knew of the plan, with Khawaja saying the whole team was involved.
Marsh was a junior player on that tour and bowled with the ball that Cameron Bancroft was seen tampering with.
He said he had moved on and was focused on captaining Australia in the one-day series against England, which starts on Friday.
Pat Cummins will address Khawaja's claims at a press conference in Sydney on Friday, saying he wants to understand them before responding.
Cricket Australia's interim chair David Boon has backed Cummins to remain captain, while the debate has overshadowed the series build-up.
Mitch Marsh declined to discuss Australia’s 2018 ball-tampering scandal at a press conference in Perth.
The scandal returned to focus after Usman Khawaja’s autobiography said the entire squad knew of a plan to use sandpaper.
Marsh said he had moved on and was focused on captaining Australia in its one-day series against England.
Pat Cummins said he would respond to Khawaja’s allegations at a press conference in Sydney on Friday.
Cricket Australia interim chair David Boon said the organisation supported Cummins as captain.
- Who
- Mitch Marsh declined to discuss the scandal; Pat Cummins said he would respond to Khawaja’s allegations.
- What
- Marsh would not share his recollections of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Khawaja’s book said the squad knew of a plan to use sandpaper.
- When
- Thursday, ahead of Australia’s one-day series against England, which starts Friday.
- Where
- Marsh spoke to reporters in Perth. Cummins planned to speak in Sydney.
- Why
- Marsh said he had moved on and was focused on the series. Cummins said he needed time to understand the extent of Khawaja’s allegations before responding.
Usman Khawaja
The 2021 statement signatories
Knowledge of the plan
Usman Khawaja
Khawaja wrote that “it was all of us” and said there had been a discussion about using sandpaper to rough up the ball.
The 2021 statement signatories
The four bowlers said they did not know a foreign substance was taken onto the field.
Responsibility
Usman Khawaja
Khawaja called for the players to take collective responsibility.
The 2021 statement signatories
The statement said the bowlers had no knowledge of a foreign substance being brought onto the field.
Australia’s ball-tampering scandal came to light during the Cape Town Test against South Africa.
Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon issued a joint statement saying they did not know a foreign substance was taken onto the field.
Khawaja’s autobiography brought the scandal back into the spotlight, and Marsh declined to discuss his recollections at a press conference in Perth.
Cummins planned to hold a press conference in Sydney to respond to Khawaja’s allegations.
Australia’s one-day international series against England is due to begin.
- Scandal
- Ball-tampering during the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa
- Book
- Usman Khawaja’s autobiography
- Marsh’s role
- Captaining Australia in the one-day series against England
- Cummins’ press conference
- Friday morning in Sydney
- Series
- Three-match one-day international series against England
3 sources
What people are saying
I’m not here to share mine today
I've taken some time to try and better understand the long list and full extent of Uzzy's allegations so I can respond properly.
it was all of us
We absolutely support Pat