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Recalling Australia's Infamous Ball-Tampering Scandal From The 2018 South Africa Tour

Bhargav Dixit

Cameron Bancroft and Steven Smith chat with umpires. [Source: @cricbuzz/X]Cameron Bancroft and Steven Smith chat with umpires. [Source: @cricbuzz/X]

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Sandpapergate, also known as the 2018 ball tampering scandal, is arguably the biggest such incident of this century. When Australia lost the second Test, South Africa drawing level 1-1 with two more matches to be played was no big deal for the visitors.

By the time Australia lost the third Test in Cape Town, not only did they trail by 1-2 but also lost integrity, trust of not just the international fraternity but their own fans as well and three first-choice players.

What happened at the SuperSport Park not only raised doubts over the intentions of the players involved but needed Cricket Australia to adopt several measures over the next few years to improve Australian cricket’s perception in front of the world.

What Really Happened During Sandpapergate?

It all happened during the second South African innings when they were leading the match by more than 200 runs with eight wickets in hand. Plotted during the lunch break on Day 3, the Australians hatched a plan to spoil the condition of the ball in a bid to trouble the South African batters by generating more swing.

Following vice-captain David Warner’s instructions, his opening partner Cameron Bancroft took the responsibility of playing the main villain.

Having initially claimed to have been using a yellow adhesive tape upon getting caught on camera, Bancroft eventually admitted in a Cricket Australia investigation to have used a sandpaper to tamper with the ball. In fact, clips of Bancroft’s act had been put on display on the big screen at the venue itself.

Once found guilty, the triad was also blameworthy of misleading the investigation when initially contacted by the on-field umpires. Upon returning to Australian shores, each one of Smith, Warner and Bancroft faced the media in an emotional state.


Termed as a "shocking disappointment" by then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, the Australian trio was censured by anyone and everyone who understood the extent of disgrace brought by them to the sport.

Captain Steven Smith, who was charged of having done nothing to avoid the infamous incident, was banned for a year. Warner, whose idea it was to tamper with the ball, was not only banned for a year but also banned for life with respect to any leadership role. Just over four months after his international retirement, CA overturned Warner’s leadership ban last month.

Bancroft, meanwhile, served nine months away from international sport. As a matter of fact, he has played only two matches for Australia sine then in spite of scoring truckloads of runs in first-class cricket.

While Bancroft’s Somerset County deal was called off as a ramification of the same, both Smith and Warner, then captains of Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively, had to miss Indian Premier League 2018.

"Embarrassed" and "disappointed" by all that his happened under his vigil but without his knowledge, then Australian head coach Darren Lehmann had also stepped down in the aftermath of the controversy.