• Australia Test captain Tim Paine on Wednesday has shared his thoughts over the four bowlers who recently released a statement on the infamous ball-tampering scandal in the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa. However, it started after Cameron Bancroft recently opened up on this matter which stirred up fresh controversy.

Cameron Bancroft has given the hint last week where he said that the Australian bowlers who were featured in the Test, aware that the players were tampering with the ball during the Test. And, after that, Australian bowlers issued a joint statement on Tuesday, where they shared that they will once again reinvestigate the matter if anyone has more knowledge about this as well.

Meanwhile, Australia bowlers – Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and off-spinner Nathan Lyon have always said that they had no knowledge of the ball-tampering incident involving Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith and David Warner on Day 3 of the third Test on March 24, 2018, as well.

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“I think they’re frustrated that it keeps popping up but I think that’s part and parcel for everyone who played in that test match,” Tim Paine told reporters in Hobart. “Their mood was fine, I think they’ve spoken to (Bancroft), cleared the air there and I think everyone’s looking forward to moving on. We’re all grown men and those guys have made contact with each other and sorted it out.”

However, Cricket Australia investigated the incident in 2018 and put a ban on Bancroft for nine months, whereas former captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner were suspended for a year as well. Even, they were removed from their positions as well.

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However, Tim Paine, who replaced Steve Smith as captain in the longer format after the scandal, said that Bancroft’s comment would not damage his chances of returning to the team once he returns from his county cricket stint in England.

“We don’t pick Test teams on what they say in the media,” he added. “We pick Test teams on how many runs they’re scoring … and that certainly won’t be held against him.”