SYDNEY: Australia captain Pat Cummins again denied on Friday any involvement in the plot to use sandpaper on the ball in a Test against South Africa in 2018, describing the allegations in Usman Khawaja’s autobiography as ‘utter nonsense’.
Former Australia batsman Khawaja, whose autobiography was published on Tuesday, said last weekend that all the players in the team at Newlands knew about the plot, triggering calls for a new investigation into the incident.
‘When he says we all knew, if by that he means that we knew sandpaper was going out in the field, he’s 100 per cent wrong.
I’ve said that consistently for the last eight years,’ Cummins told a press conference in Sydney.
‘I did not know that was happening, but I think Usman actually says things that are actually far more serious than that.
‘He says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper with sandpaper. That’s complete and utter nonsense.
Cummins also took exception to Pakistan-born Khawaja’s contention in the book that the colour of his skin and background had prevented him from becoming Australia captain.
Steve Smith and David Warner, the then Australia captain and vice-captain, were banned by Cricket Australia from elite cricket for a year for their roles in the ball-tampering.
Opening batter Cameron Bancroft, who brought a piece of sandpaper onto the field, received a nine-month suspension for his part in the ball-tampering.
‘I was genuinely shocked when I found out that Usman admitted that he told Cam to be careful when using sandpaper.
That’s not the Usman that I know,’ Cummins said.
Later on Friday, Warner said the trio had paid a heavy price for the incident and revealed that his wife Candice had lost a baby in the aftermath.
‘I still stick by Uzzie and what he has written in that book. It is the truth,’ the former Test opener said. ‘I actually feel for [Khawaja] at the moment. I actually feel that the captain today threw Uzzie under the bus and I’m very disappointed.
Cummins was asked about Khawaja’s recollection that two players had rejected the batsman’s call for the team to take collective responsibility for the ball-tampering.
‘I don’t remember any conversation around collective responsibility,’ he said. ‘So then, I’ve got no idea who those two people would be because I don’t remember ever being asked.
Cummins said he respected the right of Khawaja to tell his story in the autobiography but felt some of the allegations were very serious and had to be addressed.
‘Usman’s a friend, but friends aren’t casual with each other’s lives and reputations,’ he said.
‘In his book, Uzzie has been casual with my life and the lives of many others, and I think Australian cricket.
Cummins added, though, that he would not be taking legal action against Khawaja over the allegations in the book.-Reuters