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Australian cricket urged to stop 'eating itself' as Sandpapergate rolls on

ABC News Australia •
November 13, 2026 • 11:41 PM
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The ball-tampering scandal doesn't look like it's going away any time soon, with Greg Chappell fearing Australian cricket could "eat itself".

Australian cricket urged to stop 'eating itself' as Sandpapergate rolls on

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, Final score, AUS 3/132, ENG 131

Fri, 13 Nov, 12:00 am, Final score, QUE 348 & 0/19, TAS 133 & 233 f/o

Fri, 13 Nov, 12:00 am, Live score, NSW 204 & 410, SAM 325 & 3/86

Fri, 13 Nov, 12:00 am, Live score, VIC 5/402d & 0/7, WAU 424

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

Wed, 13 Jan 2027, 7:15 pm, Game not started, PER versus MER

Greg Chappell says Australian cricket needs to stop "eating itself" over sandpapergate. ( Getty Images: Cricket Australia/Matt King )

Greg Chappell says Australian cricket has to "move on" from the controversy of Cape Town.

The former Australian skipper said Sandpapergate still had a way to go before it trumped the underarm controversy.

Chappell said that he hoped Pat Cummins' press conference had "put a bit of a line under it".

Greg Chappell has urged Australia's past and present cricket stars to end their civil war as the ghosts of Sandpapergate continue to haunt the game.

Usman Khawaja sent the cricket world into a spin last week when he claimed the entire Test team that played in Cape Town in 2018 knew of the plot to tamper with the ball.

Cameron Bancroft, who was in charge of using sandpaper to roughen up one side of the ball, copped a nine-month ban in the wake of the cheating scandal, while Steve Smith and David Warner were suspended for a year and stripped of their leadership roles.

The fallout continues to this very day.

Test skipper Pat Cummins delivered an extraordinary 70-minute press conference in Sydney on Friday where he provided an open floor for journalists to ask whatever they wanted in regards to Sandpapergate 2018 and ball tampering in general, among other hot topics.

The 33-year-old steadfastly rejected claims he had any prior knowledge of the 2018 plot to use sandpaper on the ball in order to gain reverse swing.

He also hit out at Khawaja, saying the accusations were "complete nonsense" and suggested they were "probably defamatory".

Warner returned serve just hours after the press conference , saying he stood by all of Khawaja's claims and wouldn't rest until the full truth came out.

The former Test opener also accused Cummins of throwing Khawaja under the bus with his sandpaper denials.

Usman Khawaja has stood by his comments. ( Getty Images: Mark Nolan )

Chappell knows a thing or two about controversy.

In 1981, and with NZ requiring six runs off the final ball to force a draw in a one-day match at the MCG, then-Australia captain Chappell ordered his younger brother Trevor Chappell to bowl the last delivery underarm.

While technically legal at the time, the move caused a massive backlash and forced a rule change, with the incident still brought up to this very day.

"Good luck with that. I think 45 years tells me it will probably be a while before it gets trumped," Chappell replied when asked if 'Sandpapergate' had finally trumped the underarm controversy.

"Mistakes have been made, I think you have to own them.

"It would've been a tough time back in 2018 with all of that going on. I don't think you're always ready for these disasters when they happen, but we all make mistakes and they're all human beings.

"They're going to make mistakes, and I think we have to accept that and own those decisions, as I had to do 45 years ago."

Chappell doesn't want the in-fighting in Australian cricket to continue.

"We don't want to see Australian cricket eating itself and having a little spat within the family," Chappell said.

"Hopefully Pat's put a bit of a line under it and we can start getting on with the summer of cricket.

"It'll be a distraction, but I think they've all had enough experience that when they walk out on the cricket field there's only one thing they're thinking about."

As for Cummins' claims of having no knowledge of the plan to tamper with the ball?

"We have to believe it," Chappell said.

"Pat's a very honourable man and very talented on the field, but I think he's very talented off the field as well.

"I think from a cricket point of view they just need to move on and focus on what's in front of them."

Khawaja was due to make an appearance at a book-signing event in Merrylands on Saturday, but publishers Pelican said it unfortunately had to be postponed.

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Same Story from Other Publications

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

6 Publications
The Guardian
1d ago
Pat Cummins press conference live updates: Australian cricket captain to speak about Usman Khawaja’s ‘Sandpapergate’ claims

Pat Cummins press conference live updates: Australian cricket captain to speak about Usman Khawaja’s ‘Sandpapergate’ claims

Cummins to speak about allegations in Khawaja’s book about the 2018 ball-tampering incident

#sandpapergate #cricket
Compare →
The Age
6h ago
Lies, secrets and shattered friendships: Inside cricket’s darkest scandal

Lies, secrets and shattered friendships: Inside cricket’s darkest scandal

How does Australian cricket turn the chapter on Sandpapergate when it refuses to die.

#sandpapergate #cricket
Compare →
The Australian Financial Review (AFR)
18h ago
Marathon Cummins presser fails to settle Sandpapergate questions

Marathon Cummins presser fails to settle Sandpapergate questions

Despite taking questions for over an hour, the Australian Test captain deferred six times to Cricket Australia, leaving the public with two opposing accounts.

#sandpapergate #cricket
Compare →
BBC News
15h ago
Pat Cummins: Australian cricket's sandpapergate is back, reopening wounds in a 'nation of good sports'

Pat Cummins: Australian cricket's sandpapergate is back, reopening wounds in a 'nation of good sports'

Claims the entire Australian team knew of the 2018 sandpaper cheating plot are dividing the cricket world.

#cricket #sandpapergate
Compare →
SBS News Australia
3d ago
The uncomfortable questions that still remain over Australian cricket's sandpapergate

The uncomfortable questions that still remain over Australian cricket's sandpapergate

New claims by Usman Khawaja have reignited debate over the ball tampering scandal and Cricket Australia's response.

#cricket #sandpapergate
Compare →
Sydney Morning Herald (SMH)
6h 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.

#cricket
Compare →

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