Will be interesting when David Warner stops playing for Australia and writes a book: Stuart Broad on the sandpaper incident
England pacer Stuart Broad is the latest cricketer to side with the theory that more than three people could have been aware of the ball-tampering incident that took place during the 2018 Cape Town Test.
Cameron Bancroft, one of three Australian players suspended following the scandal alongside David Warner and Steve Smith, opened a pandora’s box when he hinted that knowledge of what transpired in Cape Town was not restricted to the punished cricketers. Since then, many prominent Australians, including Adam Gilchrist, have backed Bancroft’s claim.
According to Stuart Broad, more skeletons could tumble out of the closet once the key characters in the scandal retire. The England pacer was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo:
"I have seen a couple of comments from David Warner's agent, too, and I think it will be an interesting time when he stops playing for Australia and writes a book."
Sharing the experience of his interactions with fellow England fast bowler Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad stated:
"I've obviously never bowled within the Australian bowling attack but I can talk about how, in an England Test team, if I miss the seam by four millimetres, Jimmy Anderson is on me. He'll be saying 'why has this ball got a mark on it here? It's because you've missed the seam! Start hitting the seam, will you'.”
If we're trying to get the ball reversing, every player has to buy into that: Stuart Broad
Stuart Broad explained that reverse swing with the red ball can be affected by multiple factors and everyone in the team plays a role in keeping it in shape. He elaborated:
“If you chase it to the boundary and throw it into the grass it can smooth the ball over and stop it reversing. If you touch the ball with wet hands it will stop it reversing. If you shine it in a way that smooths over the rough side it will stop it reversing. So as an England team, we are aware if we're trying to get the ball reversing every player has to buy into that or it will stop it.”
While the veteran England pacer did not believe that the controversy will be in focus during the Ashes, he hinted that the Barmy Army might have a thing to two to say about it.
"There's no doubt the Aussies would have been hoping this episode was signed sealed and delivered. It was an incredibly tough thing for those three players to go through. I can't see it still being a conversation [when the Ashes start] in November, December, but I can see it being sung in the Barmy Army stands if they're allowed,” Stuard Broad added.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia’s Integrity team has reached out to Bancroft, seeking more details on the ball-tampering scandal that sullied the image of Australian cricket.