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Not a surprise that ‘more than 3 people knew’ about ball-tampering tactics: Michael Clarke
Former Australia skipper Michael Clarke has said nobody is surprised that more than three people knew about the ball-tampering incident. His remarks came as Cricket Australia (CA) on Saturday said it is open to reinvestigating the 'Sandpaper Gate' fiasco if there is anyone who has more knowledge about the matter. This announcement from the board came after opening batsman Cameron Bancroft hinted that there had to be wider knowledge about ball-tampering during the ‘Sandpaper Gate’ incident in 2018 in the Cape Town Test between Australia and South Africa than just the trio of Steve Smith, David Warner and the opener himself.
Speaking on Sky Sports' Big Sports Breakfast, Clarke said: “They've got to hold the ball to bowl with it. I can tell you now if you went and grabbed a pen, just a pen and put a little ‘1’ somewhere on my cricket bat; on top of the handle, on the edge of the bat, on the toe of the bat, on the face, under the grip, anywhere, just a little number one, I would have noticed.”
“If you are playing sport at the highest level you know your tools that good it's not funny. Can you imagine that the ball is thrown back to the bowler and the bowler not knowing about it? Please,” he added.
Further reacting to Bancroft's comments, Clarke said: “I love how the articles in the paper are 'it is such a big surprise that Cameron Bancroft has made a ...' Actually if you read his quotes it is not what he did say as what he didn't say in regards to other people knowing about sandpaper gate.”
