Former Australia opener Usman Khawaja has reignited discussion around cricket ball tampering by claiming that Australian players used sandpaper to deliberately damage a cricket ball during a Test match at Port Elizabeth against South Africa. The allegation suggests deliberate ball manipulation happened at least twice, with one incident occurring before the well-documented Cape Town scandal that resulted in bans for Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft.
The Port Elizabeth Allegation Explained
According to Khawaja’s account, during a Port Elizabeth Test, Cameron Bancroft deliberately used sandpaper on the cricket ball during the interval break when the field was empty. Khawaja describes finding the ball significantly roughed on one side after Bancroft’s actions, which allowed the bowlers to achieve reverse swing much earlier in the match than would normally occur. The tactical advantage became so pronounced that during a bowling session, Australian bowlers took four wickets for just 28 runs.
Khawaja recounts that the ball’s condition was extreme enough that teammates commented on it during play. According to his description, one bowler explicitly cautioned the group not to further tamper with the ball because the existing damage was already producing excessive movement. Khawaja notes that the shiny side of the ball remained polished while the roughened side became extremely dry, creating ideal conditions for the reverse swing technique that bowlers exploit when one side of the ball is significantly more worn than the other.
The Timing and Comparison to Cape Town
Khawaja’s revelation places the Port Elizabeth incident as potentially occurring before the famous Cape Town Test where Australia was caught ball tampering. He explicitly addresses this sequence in his autobiography, questioning whether the Cape Town scandal was truly the team’s first instance of such conduct. His framing suggests the Port Elizabeth manipulation went undetected while Cape Town resulted in the public scandal and subsequent investigation that led to Cricket Australia’s disciplinary action.
Claims About Team-Wide Awareness
Beyond describing the Port Elizabeth incident, Khawaja asserts that multiple Australian cricket team members were aware of and potentially involved in ball tampering practices. His statements indicate this was not limited to the three players who faced official consequences, suggesting broader knowledge and participation within the squad.
What This Means for Cricket Integrity and Fans
These allegations carry implications for how fans and cricket authorities view the integrity of matches during the period in question. If accurate, Khawaja’s claims suggest that undetected ball tampering may have influenced match outcomes beyond what was officially acknowledged. For fantasy cricket players and match analysts, this raises questions about the legitimacy of performance data and statistics from that era, since bowling success and batting difficulty were potentially affected by equipment manipulation rather than skill alone.
The significance for cricket followers extends beyond historical interest. The allegations demonstrate how technical advantages gained through equipment manipulation can be substantial—Khawaja’s own observation that the ball moved enough to surprise the bowlers themselves underscores this. For fans analyzing cricket strategy and technique, understanding that some historical performances may have been aided by unfair equipment practices provides necessary context.
Official Response and Investigation Status
The revelations come years after the original Sandpapergate scandal and during the release of Khawaja’s autobiography. Whether these new allegations prompt fresh investigation or official response from cricket authorities remains to be seen, though the claims have generated discussion within cricket media and among observers of the sport.
Sources and further reading
- Usman Khawaja makes fresh Sandpapergate revelation, claims Australia used sandpaper in Port Elizabeth Test — cricketaddictor.com, 2026-11-10