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Sandpaper scandal: Bowler Chadd Sayers says he took sandpaper from the field and rejects Pat Cummins recount

BBC News •
November 15, 2026 • 07:32 AM
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Australia bowler Chadd Sayers says he helped take sandpaper from the field in the match prior to the Cape Town Test and backs Usman Khawaja's recollection over Pat Cummins'.

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Pat Cummins (left) and Usman Khawaja (right) have given conflicting accounts of the sandpaper scandal from 2018

Former Australia bowler Chadd Sayers says he helped take sandpaper off the ground in the match before the infamous Cape Town Test and has backed Usman Khawaja's recollection over Pat Cummins' - saying he believes "everyone knew" about the plan to ball tamper.

Sayers, 39, was 12th man during the second Test of the 2018 series against South Africa in Gqeberha, previously known as Port Elizabeth, and backed the claim from Khawaja's book that sandpaper was also used there.

"It was given to me to take off," Sayers said on SEN Radio.

"That wasn't planned or anything. It was a wicket or drinks break after tea."

'Wrong' and 'nonsense' - Cummins on Khawaja claims

Australia doomed to live with stench of sandpapergate

Sayers also said there was a "60 to 90-minute" meeting in the Australia dressing room after Bancroft had been caught using sandpaper in Cape Town, in which players discussed taking collective responsibility - something Khawaja claims but Cummins said he did not remember in his extraordinary news conference on Friday.

"I am comfortable sitting here that I believe everyone in that side knew what was going on and what was being used," said Sayers, whose one Test was the final match of that series.

"It [sandpaper] was used in two Test matches and there were discussions in the changing rooms.

"I'm not taking sides, it's just my recollection of what took place.

"After the occurrence in Cape Town, we all sat in the changing rooms after that day's play and, probably for 60 to 90 minutes, we talked about what had happened and I guess where to next."

Sayers took two wickets in the fourth Test in Johannesburg - the Test after Australia's use of sandpaper to aid reverse swing had been uncovered

Sayers first backed Khawaja's recollections last week, saying "everything" in the former opener's book was "accurate".

In an episode which has dominated headlines in Australia and elsewhere, Khawaja said the entire Australia team knew about the plan to use sandpaper to tamper with the ball and should have taken responsibility.

Cummins, a bowler in that squad and now Australia captain, emphatically rejected the claims by calling them "100% wrong" and "utter nonsense".

The bowlers - Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon - have always claimed they did not know.

David Warner accused Cricket Australia of a "cover-up" on Saturday, suggesting Hazlewood, Starc and Lyon had not been interviewed as part of the governing body's investigation.

Warner, Bancroft and then captain Steve Smith served lengthy bans for their role in the scandal.

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Same Story from Other Publications

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

6 Publications
The Australian Financial Review (AFR)
3h ago
Golden boy Pat Cummins’ implausible story too much to bear

Golden boy Pat Cummins’ implausible story too much to bear

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The Guardian
2d ago
‘Abrasive’, ‘arrogant’ and ‘ugly’: standout moments from Pat Cummins’ sandpapergate press conference

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ABC News Australia
2d ago
David Warner slams Pat Cummins over Sandpapergate denial

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Former Australia opener David Warner has stood by Usman Khawaja's revelations about the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal, saying Test captain Pat Cummins threw Khawaja "under the bus" at a press conference in Sydney this morning.

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The Age
2d ago
Cummins’ answers won’t end Sandpapergate debate, but he couldn’t have done any better

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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?

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SBS News Australia
2d ago
Sandpapergate: Cummins calls Khawaja claims ‘utter nonsense’

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

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Hamro Patro News
2d ago
Pat Cummins Denies Usman Khawaja's Ball-Tampering Allegations

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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. ...

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