Revelations can be hard to swallow. This is especially true if they are unexpected. It can be extremely distressing when a past issue is brought up at a much later date.
This has been the case with Former Aussie batter, Usman Khawaja and his upcoming autobiography; where he lifts the lid on Sandpapergate.
Usman Khawaja has claimed "all" of the Australia touring party knew about the plot to tamper with the ball against South Africa in Cape Town in 2018 and the team also used sandpaper during the second Test at Port Elizabeth.
The former Australia batter said the team used sandpaper to tamper with the ball before Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera while handling the object during the third Test; ahead of the release of Khawaja’s autobiography, Sabr, on Tuesday.
Usman Khawaja has claimed the entire Australia team knew about the use of sandpaper to tamper with the ball in the final Test of their 2018 series with South Africa.
In extracts of his autobiography - published in the Sydney Morning Herald, the former opening batter said Australia had also used the ball-tampering tactic in the Test before the infamous match in Cape Town.
The incident - nicknamed 'sandpapergate' - was widely condemned and led to bans for captain Steve Smith, vice-captain, David Warner and fellow batter, Cameron Bancroft.
"It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us," Khawaja told the Sydney Morning Herald.
The four Australia bowlers who played in that match, including current Test captain, Pat Cummins, have consistently denied they had any prior knowledge of the plan.
In 2021, Cummins; Mitchell Starc; Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon issued a joint statement saying they, "did not know a foreign substance was taken on to the field."
Darren Lehmann, who was cleared of wrongdoing, resigned as head coach in the wake of the incident. He denied Khawaja's claims and said it, "drags up some bad memories."
He told ABC Sport: "I don't think everyone would have known. You do know ball tampering is going on because it's been happening for 150 years. It's just how it's being done, and how you would know to that extent?"
"I can only speak to what I know and I know ball tampering was a big part of the game of cricket. Now it is obsolete. That doesn't make it right either, but that's the case, and we paid a heavy price for that."
Khawaja, who scored 6 229 runs in 88 Tests, said that discussions about tampering with the ball began during the second Test of the series against South Africa.
That match, played at Port Elizabeth - now Gqeberha - led to what Khawaja said was the "discovery of sandpaper as an effective agent" after "open" discussions held in the dressing room at St George's Park.
"At this point Smith essentially threw his hands in the air and said he didn't want to know," Khawaja wrote.
Australia were rumbled in the third Test when television cameras clearly showed Bancroft using sandpaper on the ball to help generate reverse swing. Khawaja was also shocked not to be asked to provide any evidence during Cricket Australia's investigation.
"In an ideal world, I don't want to do this. I don't want to be the one who comes out and talks about the truth," he said. "The issue is that I genuinely thought after eight years the truth would have been out by now."
While Smith, Warner and Bancroft - all batters - were punished, there was never an explanation of how bowlers Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon didn't notice a change in the state of the ball.
In a 2021 interview with the Guardian, Bancroft was asked if the bowlers knew and replied: "It's pretty probably self-explanatory."
Days after Bancroft's interview was published, the quartet released their statement which said: "We feel compelled to put the key facts on the record again.
"We did not know a foreign substance was taken on to 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."
"We respectfully request an end to the rumour-mongering and innuendo. It has gone on too long and it is time to move on."
Before Australia's recent Test series in South Africa - which the Proteas won 2-1 - Cummins said he had spoken to Khawaja about the publication of the book.
The 33-year-old said he had no concerns about potential sandpapergate revelations and felt it was "all dealt with then" and the team had "moved on." "He didn't go into too much detail, just basically gave me the heads-up that he is doing a book and, as always, no worries," Cummins said on 8 October.
"Tell your story. It's fine. It's obviously a long time ago and all the investigations, everything was done back then and we answered every question a million times."
In a statement, Cricket Australia (CA) said: "There has been a great deal of speculation in the eight years since the 2018 Cape Town Test, including extensive media coverage throughout last month's series in South Africa.
"During this time there has been the ongoing opportunity to present any relevant information, and this remains the case. All relevant information presented to CA to date has been properly considered and we remain comfortable with the findings of our integrity process."
"Maybe I thought Davey would have exposed it, or someone else would have talked about it more. I just didn’t think it was going to come down to this," Khawaja said. "But the longer it’s gone on for, and right from the very start, I’ve been on the train of collectively taking it."
"Even in the change rooms when I was talking to them after the game. I said, 'Take this as a team'. We did this as a team. We knew what was going on, and we have to take it as a team, and so I was always of that stance. Obviously, it didn’t work that way, and those three guys got crucified."
Khawaja also said he had consistently argued that the team should take responsibility together, including in the dressing room after the Cape Town Test.
In his memoir, named after an Arabic term for resilience and endurance, Khawaja dedicated the chapter on Cape Town to Smith, Warner and Bancroft.
The left-handed batter said he thought the trio "deserve" the "justice" of collective blame from the team as a whole.
He added: "None of those three want to be the first to say anything. And rightly so, it will just be hearsay and 'their word' if they do. They needed someone else to say something. But I'm not doing this for any other reason than I think it's the right thing to do."
In somewhat related news, an amateur cricketer has been banned for two years for his role in the 'Clicky Ponting' cheating scandal that made headlines across the globe.
Also Read: Clicky Ponting
Brian Devine, fielding at slip, clicked his fingers to mimic the noise of the ball taking the edge of the bat.
Devine, playing for Saltburn second XI, was filmed in a North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League (NYSD) Division Two match against Norton in July.
He has now been banned from all cricket under the jurisdiction of the England and Wales Cricket Board until 29 September 2028.
Saltburn's second XI have also been relegated from Division Two and will start the 2027 season in Division Three with a 60-point deduction. The club has been fined £300.
In a statement, the NYSD confirmed it has received complaints relating to the conduct of Devine and Saltburn in multiple matches. Both the player and the club admitted the charges. Devine accepted his punishment; while Saltburn appealed against theirs.
Although Devine was the only player sanctioned, the NYSD was of the belief that other members of the Saltburn team were involved.
"In late July, the League received complaints about the alleged conduct of a Saltburn CC second XI player in NYSD Division Two matches and commenced an investigation with the co-operation of Saltburn CC," said the statement.
"The investigation ran over several weeks and included player interviews, written statements and a detailed review of video footage."
In footage of the game between Saltburn and Norton, Devine appears to click his fingers as the ball passes Noman Shabir's bat before being caught by wicketkeeper, Josh Bowes. Saltburn appealled and the umpire gave Shabir out.
The clip went viral on social media, attracting media attention across the world.
Now, following the investigation and disciplinary process, Devine isn't permitted to play, coach, umpire, score or manage junior teams for the duration of his two-year ban.
The relegation of Saltburn's second XI from Division Two means a reprieve for Middlesbrough's second XI after they finished 11th in the 12-team league.
Saltburn's first XI had already been relegated from the NYSD Premier League following their 11th-place finish.
"The League recognises the strain this has placed on many people, especially those who were abused online and in person," added the NYSD. "We ask everyone to respect that the formal process is now complete."
In a statement to the Press Association, the league said, "We ask everyone to respect that the formal process is now complete. The league will make no further comment."
Ricky Ponting, who led Australia to two 50-over World Cup titles, told the Reuters news agency that he found the controversy amusing, although he was less impressed that his name had become associated with the player.
"I had a bit of a chuckle to myself and pretty much forgot about it after that," he said in an interview earlier this year. I guess it wasn’t a nice thing to have my name associated with someone who’s blatantly cheating but … honestly I had a laugh and a joke about it."
I wouldn't publicly bring up an old issue that was over and done with. There's no need to open up old wounds. Khawaja could've spoken about anything else. There's no telling just how long this will last.
In terms of Clicky Ponting, I believe the punishment for the player was insufficient. A minimum of five years would be acceptable to me. The punishment to the team is justified.
I wouldn't feel comfortable with my name being associated with a scandal.