Chadd Sayers, 12th man for 2018 South Africa tour, says entire Australian team knew about sandpaper use: ‘Didn't like how Cummins went at Khawaja'

Usman Khawaja's claims get further backing as another Australian player says that the entire team knew about the use of sandpaper in the Cape Town Test in 2018

Chadd Sayers, the former Australian pacer, added more fuel to the reignited sandpapergate row on Sunday, claiming that the entire team was aware of sandpaper being used during the 2018 Test series against South Africa.

Australia's David Warner, Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith (file image) (Action Images via Reuters)

Sayers, who was the 12th man during the 2018 Series, backed up Usman Khawaja's claims, saying the ball tampering happened even in the second Test in Port Elizabeth. The latest revelations have further put Australia captain Pat Cummins in a spot, who earlier this week denied Khawaja's allegations, calling them “utter nonsense.”

“I think I've probably been portrayed in the media as taking Usman's side because I've spoken out and acknowledged that that was probably the truth. But I'm neutral in all this. I'm just trying to tell my side of the story and what I believe happened," Sayers told SEN Cricket ahead of the start of the second ODI between Australia and England on Sunday.

“There are no sides; they've both been great to me throughout my time in the Test squad, so I'm not taking sides. I'm neutral in all this. I'm comfortable sitting here right now and where I stand on the situation that I believe that everyone in that side knew what was going on and what was being used,” he added.

Sayers further stated that it was during the Port Elizabeth Test that conversations happened about how the team would go about tampering with the ball, and once it led to success, the same ploy was hatched for Cape Town, where eventually Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper.

He further said that Warner was never going to tamper with the ball, and Bancroft himself volunteered to do it.

“In Port Elizabeth, so as it's known now, it was used in two test matches, and there were discussions in the change rooms of how we were going to get the ball to reverse and what was going to be used. I mean, it is eight years ago, so my recollection isn't as clear as it was obviously eight years ago. I just know that there was numerous conversations of it around in the change rooms," said Sayers.

“Obviously David Warner was not going to do it. Cam Bancroft stepped in and said he would. I think we all know David Warner was seen as being the bad boy of the Australian cricket side at that stage and cameras were always going to be on him so he was not going to take part in it. The plan was that Cameron Bancroft was going to take that out, the ball was going to be dropped on the ground by the umpires and he was going to go about business," he added.

Meeting

The former Australian player who played just one Test, further claimed that a meeting happened after the incident in Cape Town, to decide how things would proceed going ahead. Sayers further said that the sandpaper was given to him to “take off during the drinks break.”

“Yes, after the occurrence in Cape Town, we all sat in the change 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," said Sayers.

Sayers further said that he was never interviewed by Cricket Australia as a part of their investigation, after which Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were handed sanctions. He further stated that he was expecting to be interviewed, and maybe wasn't called upon as he was the 12th man.

“We were told pretty much not to go too far away from the hotel. We had a family period then so my wife was over there and we got told pretty much to stay around because there'll be interviews and an investigation happening,” said Sayers.

“Obviously didn't go too far away, and was never interviewed. Maybe because we were 12th man and we didn't play in the game. Maybe because we knew too much information. I'm not too sure," he added.

Earlier this week, Cummins addressed a 68-minute long press conference, denying all claims made by Khawaja in his autobiography ‘Sabr’. Reacting to the comments made by the pacer, Sayers said that it felt a bit “awkward” to see “personal” comments being made.

“To be honest, I didn't watch much of it. I saw him rock up and start talking and it just felt a bit awkward, and yeah, I just didn't want to see that. I didn't like how he did go at Usman and got personal I probably get why, but I just don't think it needed to happen," said Sayers.

Cricket Australia's investigation in 2018 led to Warner and Smith, the vice-captain and captain, respectively, at the time, being banned for one year while Bancroft was suspended for nine months.

Earlier, Warner too had backed Khawaja's claims. The former Australian opener alleged that Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood weren't interviewed by Cricket Australia, calling the whole investigation a “cover-up.”