Trending
Prev Story
Next Story

Cummins hopes his answers ended the sandpaper war. He is sadly mistaken

ABC News Australia •
November 13, 2026 • 03:56 AM
1
1 reads 0 reactions

In his detailed 70-minute press conference, Pat Cummins said he hoped he could draw a line under the brewing Sandpapergate civil war. David Warner quickly proved that won't be happening.

Cummins hopes his answers ended the sandpaper war. He is sadly mistaken

Mon, 14 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 235, AUS 8/294

Mon, 14 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 7/148, AAW 2/178

Wed, 16 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 161, AAW 5/168

Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 272, AUS 6/356

Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 6/182, AUU 7/175

Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAU 9/238, SAM 0/58

Fri, 18 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, QUE 7/335, VIC 7/339

Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 8/271, AUS 9/272

Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/239, AAW 235

Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAU 115, TAS 1/117

Sun, 20 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 7/341, AUU 239

Mon, 21 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, QUE 358, NSW 6/359

Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/338, AAW 8/341

Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 4/255, AUU 254

Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAM 7/383, TAS 8/376

Wed, 23 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 8/297, AUS 230

Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/364, AAW 9/362

Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INA 334 & 199, AUA 171 & 200

Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, VIC 212, NSW 257

Sat, 26 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 9/365, AUS 333

Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 494, AUU 217 & 229

Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SYW 4/168, QUW 167

Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, VIW 8/293, SAS 7/290

Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAW 6/236, TAW 232

Tue, 29 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 4/145, AUS 9/322

Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 364 & 257, AAW 176 & 164

Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SYW 174, QUW 4/285

Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAW 7/273, TAW 7/299

Thu, 1 Oct, 2:00 pm, Final score, VIW -, SAS -

Thu, 1 Oct, 11:00 pm, Final score, INA 167 & 9/310, AUA 358 & 4/173d

Tue, 6 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 149, AUA 274

Tue, 6 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, QUW 9/266, BAW 7/196

Wed, 7 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INU 315 & 0/11, AUU 174 & 151

Fri, 9 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 3/168, BAW 166

Fri, 9 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 206, AUA 275

Sat, 10 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, VIC 244 & 224, SAM 508

Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 1/222, BAW 6/220

Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 275, AUA 226

Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, NSW 9/500d, TAS 245 & 5/402

Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 175 & 8/201, QUE 307 & 68

Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, VIC 241, SAM 311

Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, HHW 7/127, ACM 100

Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 3/136, BHW 90

Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 7/138, PSW 4/139

Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 3/79, MSW 78

Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAF 284 & 206, AUS 390 & 6/314d

Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, NSW 158, TAS 203

Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 246, QUE 261

Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 3/78, ACM 7/77

Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 4/183, PSW 8/182

Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW -, BHW -

Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 2/175, BAW 172

Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 4/180, MSW 6/179

Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 5/165, HHW 8/136

Fri, 16 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, BHW 4/86, ACM 83

Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAM 7/397, QUE 271

Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, HHW 5/136, PSW 8/166

Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 5/122, MRW 9/121

Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ACM 4/129, MSW 6/132

Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 9/105, ASW 6/143

Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 8/165, NZW 2/162

Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 2/132, HHW 8/129

Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, BHW 129, ASW 6/139

Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 2/93, PSW 92

Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 8/155, MSW 5/158

Sun, 18 Oct, 7:15 pm, Live score, AUW -, BAW -

Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 7/167, NZW 8/127

Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 6/116, PSW 5/118

Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 9/152, SSW 6/153

Tue, 20 Oct, 7:15 pm, Live score, AUW -, BAW -

Wed, 21 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAM 203 & 145, QUE 238 & 4/114

Wed, 21 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, PSW 7/134, SSW 8/149

Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAF 9/425d, AUS 99 & 295 f/o

Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW -, NZW 2/11

Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, TAS 241 & 236, VIC 207 & 266

Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 339 & 9/244, NSW 6/440d & 5/262d

Thu, 22 Oct, 7:15 pm, Live score, AUW -, BAW -

Sat, 24 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, TAS 137, VIC 7/304

Sat, 24 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 293, NSW 8/371

Thu, 29 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 9/138, STW 4/140

Thu, 29 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MSW 4/192, HHW 8/174

Fri, 30 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, BHW 5/154, SSW 6/157

Fri, 30 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AU6 3/135, ONG 4/107

Fri, 30 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, EN6 0/121, AU6 4/159

Sat, 31 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAF 329 & 387, AUS 429 & 111

Sat, 31 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 2/185, MSW 7/164

Sat, 31 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, PSW 1/138, MRW 6/136

Sat, 31 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAM 154 & 316, WAU 5/406d & 169

Sat, 31 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AU6 3/141, UE6 6/88

Sun, 1 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 4/180, BHW 5/178

Sun, 1 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 8/196, HHW 109

Sun, 1 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, TAS 427, NSW 202 & 144 f/o

Sun, 1 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, AU6 5/115, AF6 2/119

Mon, 2 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, MSW 109, PSW 9/124

Tue, 3 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, QUE 280 & 3/75, VIC 307 & 173

Wed, 4 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, HHW 7/154, MRW 6/155

Thu, 5 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 5/170, BHW 4/184

Thu, 5 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 166, PSW 3/183

Fri, 6 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, MSW 7/159, SSW 5/160

Sat, 7 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 3/188, ASW 8/152

Sat, 7 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, BHW 6/119, HHW 9/116

Sat, 7 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 159, ENG 251

Sun, 8 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 2/162, STW 158

Sun, 8 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, PSW 4/137, MSW 6/136

Tue, 10 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, HHW 5/138, ASW 6/139

Wed, 11 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, PSW 6/160, STW 5/159

Thu, 12 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, MSW 5/165, BHW 2/166

Thu, 12 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 129, SSW 6/140

Fri, 13 Nov, 12:00 am, Live score, AUS -, ENG 3/47

Fri, 13 Nov, 12:00 am, Live score, QUE 348, TAS 133 & 6/140 f/o

Fri, 13 Nov, 12:00 am, Live score, NSW 204 & 8/407, SAM 325

Fri, 13 Nov, 12:00 am, Live score, VIC 5/402d, WAU 7/336

Sat, 14 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, HHW versus BHW

Sat, 14 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus ASW

Sun, 15 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, SSW versus MRW

Sun, 15 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG

Mon, 16 Nov, 10:00 am, Game not started, NSW versus SAM

Mon, 16 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, QUE versus TAS

Mon, 16 Nov, 2:00 pm, Game not started, VIC versus WAU

Mon, 16 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, STW versus MSW

Tue, 17 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, ASW versus SSW

Wed, 18 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG

Thu, 19 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, HHW versus PSW

Thu, 19 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, BHW versus STW

Fri, 20 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, ASW versus MRW

Sat, 21 Nov, 12:00 pm, Game not started, HHW versus STW

Sat, 21 Nov, 3:30 pm, Game not started, SSW versus PSW

Sat, 21 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG

Sun, 22 Nov, 10:30 am, Game not started, NSW versus QUE

Sun, 22 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, BHW versus ASW

Sun, 22 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus MRW

Mon, 23 Nov, 1:30 pm, Game not started, WAU versus TAS

Tue, 24 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAM versus VIC

Tue, 24 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG

Wed, 25 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MRW versus BHW

Thu, 26 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, STW versus ASW

Thu, 26 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, SSW versus MSW

Fri, 27 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG

Fri, 27 Nov, 9:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus HHW

Sat, 28 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MRW versus MSW

Sat, 28 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, STW versus SSW

Sun, 29 Nov, 12:00 pm, Game not started, BHW versus PSW

Sun, 29 Nov, 3:30 pm, Game not started, ASW versus HHW

Sun, 29 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG

Tue, 1 Dec, 7:10 pm, Game not started, versus

Wed, 2 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG

Thu, 3 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, NSW versus WAU

Thu, 3 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, VIC versus QUE

Thu, 3 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAM versus TAS

Thu, 3 Dec, 7:10 pm, Game not started, versus

Sat, 5 Dec, 7:10 pm, Game not started, versus

Wed, 9 Dec, 1:20 pm, Game not started, AUS versus NZL

Sat, 12 Dec, 8:10 pm, Game not started, MER versus PER

Mon, 14 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAS versus WAW

Tue, 15 Dec, 10:00 am, Game not started, ACM versus SYW

Tue, 15 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW

Tue, 15 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, BRI versus SYS

Wed, 16 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAS versus WAW

Wed, 16 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus ADE

Thu, 17 Dec, 10:00 am, Game not started, ACM versus SYW

Thu, 17 Dec, 11:30 am, Game not started, AUS versus NZL

Thu, 17 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, HOB versus BRI

Fri, 18 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW

Fri, 18 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MES versus ADE

Sat, 19 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAW versus VIW

Sat, 19 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus SYS

Sun, 20 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW

Sun, 20 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, PER versus HOB

Mon, 21 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAW versus VIW

Mon, 21 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MES versus BRI

Tue, 22 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYS versus MER

Wed, 23 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, ADE versus SYT

Thu, 24 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MER versus HOB

Sat, 26 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, AUS versus NZL

Sat, 26 Dec, 6:05 pm, Game not started, SYS versus BRI

Sat, 26 Dec, 9:15 pm, Game not started, PER versus MES

Sun, 27 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus MER

Mon, 28 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, BRI versus ADE

Tue, 29 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, HOB versus MES

Wed, 30 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, PER versus SYT

Thu, 31 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, ADE versus MES

Fri, 1 Jan 2027, 4:00 pm, Game not started, MER versus SYS

Fri, 1 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, BRI versus HOB

Sat, 2 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus PER

Sun, 3 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYS versus ADE

Mon, 4 Jan 2027, 10:30 am, Game not started, AUS versus NZL

Mon, 4 Jan 2027, 10:30 am, Game not started, QUW versus ACM

Mon, 4 Jan 2027, 6:05 pm, Game not started, MES versus MER

Mon, 4 Jan 2027, 9:15 pm, Game not started, PER versus BRI

Tue, 5 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, HOB versus SYT

Wed, 6 Jan 2027, 10:30 am, Game not started, QUW versus ACM

Wed, 6 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, ADE versus MER

Thu, 7 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MES versus SYS

Fri, 8 Jan 2027, 5:00 pm, Game not started, WAW versus VIW

Fri, 8 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, BRI versus PER

Sat, 9 Jan 2027, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAW versus SYW

Sat, 9 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, HOB versus ADE

Sun, 10 Jan 2027, 2:10 pm, Game not started, SYS versus PER

Sun, 10 Jan 2027, 5:00 pm, Game not started, WAW versus VIW

Sun, 10 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MER versus BRI

Mon, 11 Jan 2027, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAW versus SYW

Mon, 11 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus MES

Tue, 12 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, ADE versus HOB

Pat Cummins spoke for 70 minutes at a press conference today. ( Getty Images: Darrian Traynor )

If nothing else, nobody can ever say that Pat Cummins didn't front up and face the music.

For 70 minutes he stood there, smiling through whatever other emotion was boiling inside of him, disarming with charm and eloquence and just enough humour for the situation at hand. He took the questions until they dried up.

He lifted the lid on cricket's uncomfortable history with ball tampering, detailing specific examples he had seen within Test and Sheffield Shield cricket. He said he believed Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were punished much too harshly by Cricket Australia.

He spoke to the 2018 Australian team's "ugly underbelly", addressed allegations of systemic racism within the sport, and spoke about the culture of casual verbal abuse that stretched all the way to suburban club cricket.

Cummins provided a detailed floor plan of the Newlands dressing rooms, and mustered a laugh despite his obvious distaste for the cameras which captured he and his wife conversing on the street.

He pledged to be as open as possible, to dig into the game's nuances — he used that word a lot — to explain as much of what happened in that Cape Town Test match as he could.

And his verdict, repeated multiple times and with precise wording, was clear: Pat Cummins did not know sandpaper was being used to tamper with the ball, and Usman Khawaja's version of events is incorrect.

Pat Cummins rejected allegations made by Usman Khawaja in his book Sabr. ( ABC News )

Was he telling the truth? Who really knows. David Warner says he wasn't.

The technicality Cummins and his fellow bowlers have relied upon since they released their first statement of denial in 2021 was that they did not know "sandpaper had been brought out onto the field". Those words have been repeated often this week, presented carefully each time.

By Khawaja's version of events, as printed in his book Sabr, that leaves some wriggle room in which perhaps there was wider knowledge sandpaper was being used on the sidelines in breaks of play when the umpire had left the ball on the boundary.

But Cummins was questioned about that too, and once again had a firm and unflinching answer.

"That was news to me this week. I had no idea," Cummins said.

"Even chatting to a couple of the guys, that was a revelation to ourselves. That was one of the things that really surprised us because that doesn't happen anymore; the umpires give the ball to you out in the middle."

The good news is that is a fact someone will be able to check.

Somewhere in the SuperSport archives there will surely be footage of the players coming onto the ground after the breaks in play during that series, and surely in that it will be clear to see precisely when the ball is exchanged between umpire and players.

The bad news is that is just about the only fact that can be checked. Everything else is hearsay, one man's word against another, a civil war whose weapons are alternate offerings of "my truth" and "my story".

Cummins suggested the past eight years have weighed on Khawaja, and hinted that may be because, as Khawaja expressed in his book, he specifically knew about the plan to bring sandpaper onto the field and even warned Cameron Bancroft to be careful.

What does Khawaja think about that pretty loaded suggestion? We will surely find out soon enough, either on Instagram or on the next stop on the book tour.

David Warner says Pat Cummins threw Usman Khawaja under the bus. ( Getty Images: Paul Kane )

We already know what Warner thinks. He said he believed Cummins threw Khawaja under the bus.

This just days after Khawaja had to deny he had thrown Cummins and co under the bus. At this point, there is not a member of the Australian cricket team who does not reside beneath a bus.

Warner said on Fox Cricket he would not be able to move on until the truth came out. The truth, he says, is what is written in Khawaja's book.

Warner was given the opportunity to expound on that truth in his own words, but did not take it, suggesting instead a future book of his own would eventually do that job.

It's all a total mess. Social media reaction to Cummins's conference suggests the Australian public, growing increasingly fatigued by it all, has long since made up its mind on what really went on in Cape Town and is past the point of being swayed by new information.

At some point, most likely when all of these players are comfortable in retirement and these squabbles make up part of the nostalgia tour rather than dominate the discourse, we may wonder what all the fuss was about.

The biggest error of the Cummins Q and A was his belief that his appearance would allow everyone to draw a line under the affair and move on.

That's not happening. We're dealing with hurt feelings here, fractured relationships and bruised egos and nebulous concepts of truth and justice. You better pick your side, if you haven't already, because this is never going away.

Tags:
Prev Swipe Story Next

Same Story from Other Publications

Compare how 6 other independent news outlets reported on this story.

6 Publications
The Age
19h ago
Cummins’ answers won’t end Sandpapergate debate, but he couldn’t have done any better

Cummins’ answers won’t end Sandpapergate debate, but he couldn’t have done any better

Pat Cummins bats, bowls, leads – but he faced one of his toughest tests as Australia’s captain when he fronted the media for 80 minutes to discuss Usman Khawaja’s 2018 claims. Did he succeed?

#cummins #answers #sandpaper
Compare →
SBS News Australia
21h ago
Sandpapergate: Cummins calls Khawaja claims ‘utter nonsense’

Sandpapergate: Cummins calls Khawaja claims ‘utter nonsense’

Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins has rejected claims by Usman Khawaja that the entire Australian test team knew about ball tampering plot in 2018

#cummins #sandpaper
Compare →
Sydney Morning Herald (SMH)
5h ago
A pathetic lie still lingers over Australian cricket: It’s time for sandpaper’s truth commission

A pathetic lie still lingers over Australian cricket: It’s time for sandpaper’s truth commission

The only certain truth now is that there is a wedge between Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, and probably between Cummins and David Warner, too. That is sad.

#cummins #sandpaper
Compare →
The Guardian
9h ago
Cummins stands firm on ball tampering to leave Australian cricket back where it started | Geoff Lemon

Cummins stands firm on ball tampering to leave Australian cricket back where it started | Geoff Lemon

The Test captain kept his promise to answer all questions at a press conference that made his position clear and filled some but not all gaps

#cummins
Compare →
Hamro Patro News
22h ago
Pat Cummins Denies Usman Khawaja's Ball-Tampering Allegations

Pat Cummins Denies Usman Khawaja's Ball-Tampering Allegations

Sydney. Australian cricket team captain Pat Cummins has refuted the allegations made by former teammate Usman Khawaja regarding the much-talked-about 'sandpaper' (ball tampering) incident of 2018. ...

#cummins
Compare →
The Australian Financial Review (AFR)
1d ago
‘Under the bus’: Warner hits back at Cummins and Cricket Australia

‘Under the bus’: Warner hits back at Cummins and Cricket Australia

The Australian Test captain has broken his silence on claims he and the rest of the team knew about cheating in South Africa in 2018.

#cummins
Compare →

Related Stories

World News
Build #2612