Former Australia captain Michael Clarke called for an investigation into the 2018 ball-tampering scandal after fresh claims alleged sandpaper was used during the second Test at Port Elizabeth.
Starc Addresses Khawaja Sydney Claims
Speaking at a season launch event in Sydney, Australia seamer Mitchell Starc addressed Usman Khawaja’s allegation that the entire team knew about the sandpaper plot, stating his own recollection has not changed from 2021, according to BBC Sport.
Statement from ACA CEO, Paul Marsh. pic.twitter.com/xFkC7p4cpi
Starc told reporters he was not aware the material was taken onto the field to be tampered with until seeing it on the big screen in Cape Town. The quartet of bowlers from the Cape Town Test—Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon—remain fixtures in Australia’s red-ball side.
“I guess I won't speak on behalf of the bowlers – but, where I stand, my opinion hasn't changed, my recollection hasn't changed from what we said in 2021,” said Australia seamer Mitchell Starc.
Starc noted that different people felt varied ways about the incident over the last eight years. Starc added that Khawaja’s claim regarding the Port Elizabeth Test marked the first time he was aware of any such activity taking place at that venue. David Warner, who received a one-year ban following the Cape Town incident, backed Khawaja’s recollections as entirely accurate.
Cricket Executives Issue Statements
Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer Nick Greenberg, who took over the role in March 2025 after leading the Australian Cricketers’ Association, noted that conflicting views from the same moment in time make a single aligned outcome impossible.
The Australian Cricketers’ Association stated that the 2018 tour served as a low point for the sport and that the banned players paid a disproportionate price. The association called for an end to the ongoing vitriol directed at those involved.
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