Former Australia opener David Warner has continued to back Usman Khawaja following his explosive claims about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, also known as Sandpapergate.
A few hours after Australia captain Pat Cummins addressed the allegations at a news conference in Sydney, Warner accused him of throwing Khawaja under the bus, according to Yahoo Sports.
Warner, who was handed a 12-month ban for his role in the 2018 scandal, backed Khawaja’s version of events in his autobiography, Sabr.
Khawaja has claimed that all members of the Test team knew about the use of sandpaper during the Cape Town Test against South Africa.
This contradicts Cummins’ public statements as the current Australia captain has repeatedly denied knowing about the sandpaper plot.
Speaking on Fox Cricket’s coverage of Australia’s first ODI against England at Optus Stadium in Perth, Warner made his support for Khawaja clear, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
“I still stick by Uzzie,” Warner said, per Yahoo Sports.
“And what he’s written in that in that book. It is the truth and I really, really support him,” Warner stated, according to Yahoo Sports.
“I actually feel for him at the moment,” Warner added, per Yahoo Sports.
“I actually feel that the captain today actually threw Uzzie under the bus,” Warner said, according to Yahoo Sports.
“And I’m very, very disappointed about that,” Warner concluded, per Yahoo Sports.
Warner also repeated his criticism of the investigation into the scandal, describing it as botched.
Cummins held a news conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday, hours before Australia’s home-season opening ODI against England in Perth.
He said he was ready to answer questions for as long as required because he wanted to put the controversy behind him.
Khawaja’s autobiography has brought the eight-year-old scandal back into the spotlight.
In the book, he claimed that the entire team knew about the ball-tampering plan.
Cummins, who was part of Australia’s bowling attack in the Cape Town Test, strongly rejected the claim.
“When he says we all knew, if by that he means that we knew sandpaper was going out in the field, he’s 100% wrong,” Cummins said, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
“I’ve said that consistently for the last eight years,” Cummins stated, per Yahoo Sports.
“I did not know that was happening,” Cummins added, according to Yahoo Sports.
“But I think Usman actually says things that are actually far more serious than that,” Cummins said, per Yahoo Sports.
“He says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper with sandpaper,” Cummins stated, according to Yahoo Sports.
“That’s complete and utter nonsense,” Cummins concluded, per Yahoo Sports.
The controversy erupted during Australia’s Test against South Africa in Cape Town in March 2018.
Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper on the ball.
Following a Cricket Australia investigation, three players received bans.
Then captain Steve Smith and vice-captain Warner were suspended for 12 months, while Bancroft received a nine-month ban.
Social media coverage of the ongoing saga was also noted via posts from Herald Sun Sport and sarkarstix.