Starc denies knowledge as Cricket Australia rules out new inquiry
Mitchell Starc says he was unaware of sandpaper being taken onto the field during the 2018 Cape Town Test and repeats that his recollection has not changed since the 2021 bowlers' statement. Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg confirms there will be no fresh investigation. In his new autobiography, Usman Khawaja alleges the entire Australian squad knew about the ball‑tampering plan, a claim David Warner describes as completely accurate.
Key facts
- Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon issued a 2021 joint statement denying any knowledge of the tampering.
- The original 2018 sanctions included 12‑month bans for Steve Smith and David Warner and a nine‑month ban for Cameron Bancroft.
- Pat Cummins said he was not worried about fallout from Khawaja's book and encouraged the author to tell his story.
- Khawaja cancelled book‑promotion events after a TV interview where he declined to confirm bowlers' knowledge.
Summarised with AI from 5 sources · Updated 05:11Read our AI policy
Why it matters
The dispute revives debate over the 2018 scandal’s scope and accountability.
What changed
CNA joined as a source
First published from Yahoo Sports, ABC News (Australia), Sky Sports and The Independent