Former Australia opener David Warner has intensified his criticism of Cricket Australia regarding the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
In a social media post released Saturday, Warner alleged that the governing body failed to interview bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon during its initial investigation into the Cape Town Test incident, according to Yahoo Sports.
The former international player suggested the organization had predetermined the outcome of the probe to protect the broader team.
Warner wrote in his post that the governing body appeared to have decided who to blame from the start to maintain a specific narrative, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
He explicitly characterized the handling of the inquiry as a cover up.
This latest development follows claims made by Usman Khawaja in his memoir, Sabr, which suggested the entire team was aware of the plan to use sandpaper on the ball.
Test captain Pat Cummins dismissed those allegations during a press conference held Friday.
Cummins rejected the claims as “complete and utter nonsense,” according to the reporting by Yahoo Sports.
Warner previously criticized Cummins for his response to Khawaja, suggesting the captain threw his teammate under the bus, per Yahoo Sports.
The 2018 investigation resulted in one-year bans for Warner and former captain Steve Smith, while Cameron Bancroft received a nine-month suspension.
Cricket Australia has previously stated it has no intention of reopening the investigation into the matter.
The governing body has faced renewed scrutiny as these allegations continue to circulate in the media.
Warner remains a central figure in the ongoing discourse surrounding the integrity of the 2018 disciplinary process.
The sports community continues to monitor whether these new claims will force a change in the official stance held by the board.