Former South African skipper Faf du Plessis has revealed that his team had suspected the Australian Cricket team of ball tampering even before the sandpaper gate. He said that l they closely noticed the game with binoculars and witnessed something happening.
“There was full evident of how much difference the ball reversed for Starc in the 1st & 3rd Test”. Faf du Plessis
The ball-tampering controversy has been one of the most talked about incidents in cricketing history. It was during the Australia tour to South Africa when the whole saga took place and shook the entire cricket fraternity.
It was during the Newlands Test between South Africa and Australia when young Cameron Bancroft, was caught using a piece of yellow sandpaper on the ball in 2018. The controversy racked up a huge debate and it also Cricket Australia taking action on then-skipper Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and Bancroft.
The governing body suspended three players from the game for a desired period of time it is fair to say that it was the darkest phase in the history of Australian Cricket. Warner albeit is still at the receiving end of the ban as the governing body is yet to remove his leadership ban.
Veteran South African player Faf du Plessis has now shared an interesting story about the sandpaper gate. In his autobiography Faf: Through Fire, he revealed his side was aware that something is going on. He said:
“Australian pace attack has got ball to reverse insanely – so in 2nd Test, we watched the game closely with Binoculars, suspect something was happening, there was full evident how much difference ball reversed for Starc in 1st & 3rd Test”.
Faf Du Plessis said, "dealing with CSA (during that time) was like being in a relationship with someone who doesn't value you as much as you value them". (In his autobiography).
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 24, 2022
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“We watched the second Test at St George’s through binoculars so we could follow the ball more closely while Australia was fielding. We now know that there was an obvious reason for that.”
Faf du Plessis doesn’t believe that Steve Smith and his team did much wrong
Faf du Plessis went on to write that although it was against the laws, Smith didn’t do much wrong as all the players in some way have tried to disrupt the game. He said:
“It’s no secret that all cricket teams want the ball to reverse…We, too, have pushed those boundaries.”
Tim Paine has accused South Africa of ball tampering in the match right after the Newlands Test, where Australia was rocked by the sandpaper-gate scandal
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 25, 2022
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