Cameron Bancroft makes stunning u-turn as Cricket Australia seeks new Sandpapergate names

Days after re-opening the three-year-old Sandpapergate incident and causing all-out mayhem over ball tampering, Cameron Bancroft has taken a massive u-turn after he earlier hinted that the bowlers were in knowledge of the plan to tamper the ball. After Bancroft's comments, Cricket Australia had reached out to the batter, who is currently in England for the County Championship, to provide any information that he might wish to share with the board. In response, Bancroft has denied holding any new significant information, implying that he is satisfied with the investigation that held Steven Smith, David Warner and himself responsible for the ball-tampering incident at Newlands in 2018. 

According to a report published in Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday, Bancroft has told CA that he has no new significant information. "Bancroft, who is playing county cricket in the UK, had responded overnight on Monday in a conciliatory manner and indicated that he did not have significant new information to share with CA," the 'Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, quoting sources familiar with the situation, reported.

"Bancroft is said to have told CA he is supportive of the investigation and satisfied with the outcome," the report added. Furthermore, the report stated that the matter is now unlikely to escalate with Bancroft expressing satisfaction with the probe. 

Bancroft's statement reopens Sandpapergate

Three years after Australia's infamous ball-tampering incident in Cape Town, the scandal once again exploded with Cameron Bancroft making startling revelations about the event that shocked Cricket Australia and the Cricketing world to the core. Bancroft, the Australian, had been caught on TV cameras while using sandpaper on the ball during the second innings of the game, and later, in 2021, suggested that bowlers in the camp were aware of the proceedings. 

Since the scandal broke out, Cricket Australia claimed to have conducted thorough investigations into the matter, leading to the levelling of unprecedented sanctions upon the players involved, including then-captain Steven Smith, who was stripped of the captaincy. 

Bancroft's recent statements sent shockwaves across Australia and the globe with several veterans and players commenting on the matter. While several Australian veterans agreed with Bancroft's statement suggesting that it was impossible for the bowlers to not know of the plan whereas several stated that the matter had been closed for good. 

Hazlewood, Cummins & Starc take umbrage 

The Australian bowling squad of the scandalous match in Cape Town comprised of some big names. The pace battery included Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Marsh whereas the spin attack was led by Nathan Lyon. Following Bancroft's comments, the pace trio has come forth to issue a joint statement, asserting that they did not of the ball-tampering incident. 

"We did not know a foreign substance was taken onto the field to alter the condition of the ball until we saw the images on the big screen at Newlands And to those who, despite the absence of evidence, insist that 'we must have known; about the use of a foreign substance simply because we are bowlers, we say this: The umpires during that Test match, Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth, both very respected and experienced umpires, inspected the ball after the images surfaced on the TV coverage and did not change it because there was no sign of damage," the joint statement reads.