The sandpaper gate scandal in 2018 rocked the entire cricketing world to leave a dent in its rich history. The incident took place during the third Test match between Australia and South Africa at the Newlands in Cape Town. The game has witnessed various incidents which shattered the spirit but the sandpaper gate scandal escalated things fast.
On March 24, 2018, television camera reported Aussie batsman Cameron Bancroft trying to rough up one side of the ball with sandpaper to make it swing in flight. At the press conference at the end of the day’s play, Bancroft, accompanied by Australia’s captain, Steve Smith, admitted that he was seen attempting to alter the condition of the ball using a short length of the yellow adhesive tape to which dirt and grit had adhered, forming an abrasive surface.
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Sandpaper gate rocked the sport
Furthermore, Smith admitted that the leadership group played a major role to alter the condition of the ball. In the wake of the incident, Bancroft received a nine-month sanction while Cricket Australia banned Steve Smith and David Warner for a year. They finally returned to action last March; and since then, have been on a run-scoring spree.
Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who enjoyed the stiff challenge against Australia, opined that Smith took the bullet for the entire team. Speaking on ball-tampering in general, Flintoff said that the cricketers should keep the degree of it in mind.
“I can’t believe that the whole team isn’t in on it. As a bowler, if someone gives me a ball that’s been tampered with, I know initially. One of the things that Steve Smith did is take the blame for everyone else,” Flintoff told Talksport.
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“Things like ball-tampering have gone on for a long, long time and I think it’s just the degrees where you take it. We were accused of putting sweets on the ball. People put suncream on it, tried everything they can,” he added.
In conclusion, Andrew Flintoff admitted that he is ready to do anything and everything to represent England in one more Test. Incidentally, Flintoff retired from the longer format after the 2009 Ashes. Since then, the star all-rounder had tried his hands in many things including taking parting MMA.
“It’s getting easier as I’m 42 and don’t think I should be playing cricket now, but when I finished at 31, I couldn’t go anywhere near it, I just wanted to be a cricketer. Still, now I would swap everything I do to play one more Test match and wear that England badge at Old Trafford one more time,” he concluded.
