Former England captain Michael Vaughan has reacted sarcastically to the fresh revelations surrounding Australia’s infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal, suggesting that Usman Khawaja‘s claims about widespread knowledge within the team were hardly surprising.Khawaja has reignited the ‘Sandpapergate’ controversy through excerpts from his upcoming autobiography, claiming that discussions about tampering with the ball were much more widespread during Australia’s 2018 tour of South Africa than Cricket Australia’s investigation had established.Taking to X, Vaughan took a dig at the revelations, suggesting that the latest claims merely confirmed what many had suspected all along. He also questioned why the issue was being revisited nearly eight years after the scandal and called for everyone to move on.
Vaughan’s post
“So we finally now know the most hidden secret in the game … all the Aussie team knew about the sandpaper … 8 yrs later it all comes out … no shit Sherlock … now can we just move on …” Vaughan posted.The controversy dates back to the third Test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town in March 2018, when Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to rough up the ball. The incident triggered a major crisis for Australian cricket and resulted in lengthy suspensions for Steve Smith, David Warner and Bancroft.Cricket Australia’s investigation at the time concluded that prior knowledge of the ball-tampering plan was limited to the three players. Head coach Darren Lehmann was cleared of direct involvement but resigned shortly after the series.However, Khawaja has now claimed that conversations about roughing up the ball, including through the use of sandpaper, took place openly within the team.“It was all of us,” the former Australia batter said in his autobiography, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.Khawaja, who was cleared of wrongdoing during the original investigation, also described the conversations as “open, lighthearted discussions” and maintained that awareness of the subject extended beyond just the batters, bowlers or coaching staff.Cricket Australia has stood by its original investigation, insisting that all relevant information presented to the governing body had been considered. It also maintained that individuals still had the opportunity to provide any additional information.Australia captain Pat Cummins, who featured in the Cape Town Test, had earlier played down suggestions that Khawaja’s autobiography would trigger further fallout from the scandal.Australia and South Africa have since faced each other again in a Test series, with the visitors returning to the country last month for the first time since the 2018 controversy. South Africa won that three-match series 2-1.
