Former Australia wicket-keeper batsman, Adam Gilchrist is of the opinion that Cricket Australia should open a thorough interrogation for the Sandpaper Gate when it happened and it is due to this reason that the issue will keep on lingering forever. In March 2018, Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera making an attempt of tampering with the condition of the ball using sandpaper in a Test match against South Africa in Cape Town. ‘
The incident was later labeled as “Sandpapergate” and it has often been considered as one of the darkest moments in the history of Australian cricket. During a discussion on SEN’s Gilly and Goss podcast, as per the quotes in Fox Sports, Adam Gilchrist said, “It will linger forever, whether it is someone’s book or an ad hoc interview. I think there are some people who have it stored away and are ready to pull the trigger when the time is right.”
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He further added, “I think Cricket Australia are responsible for why this will be continually asked. There was an opportunity for CA if they were going to make such a strong statement they needed to do a more thorough investigation to work out where the root of the problem was. Anyone would be naive to think people were not aware of what was going on about ball maintenance. I don’t think Cricket Australia wanted to go there.”
Bancroft, who is playing county cricket in Durham, said it was ”probably self-explanatory” whether the bowler were well aware of the fact that the ball was being tampered with.
During a recent chat with ESPNCricinfo, Bancroft had said, “Yeah, look, all I wanted to do was to be responsible and accountable for my own actions and part. Yeah, obviously what I did benefits bowlers, and the awareness around that, probably, is self-explanatory.I guess one thing I learned through the journey and being responsible is that’s where the buck stops [with Bancroft himself]. Had I had better awareness I would have made a much better decision.”
When he was further pressed on whether the bowlers were informed about the ball-tampering plan, Bancroft replied: “Uh… yeah, look, I think, yeah, I think it’s pretty probably self-explanatory.”
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After the conclusion of the third day’s play of the Cape Town Test, Bancroft and then Australia skipper Steve Smith admitted that they made the plans of tampering with the ball. Smith’s then deputy, David Warner’s involvement in the act was also confirmed. Later, the Australian cricket board handed a one-year ban to both Smith and Warner, while Bancroft was given a nine-month suspension. Australia coach Darren Lehmann also resigned after the episode.
