The 2018 Australian ball-tampering scandal, often known as ‘sandpapergate’, was a infamous cricket dishonest incident that concerned Australian gamers tampering with the ball throughout a Check match in opposition to South Africa.
Australian batter Cameron Bancroft was caught tampering with the ball by rubbing it with sandpaper throughout South Africa’s second innings of a 3rd Check between the 2 sides.
Following the top of that day’s play, Bancroft admitted he tried to change the situation of the ball, with Australia captain Steve Smith later admitting to having data of it.
Within the aftermath, Smith stood down as captain, and David Warner additionally stood down as vice-captain.
Australia’s coach on the time, Darren Lehmann, additionally stepped down from his function on the finish of that sequence. Lehmann was nevertheless cleared of any wrongdoing in Cricket Australia’s assessment.
Smith and Warner have been each given 12-month bans from worldwide and home cricket by Cricket Australia, whereas Bancroft was handed a nine-month suspension.
Warner was deemed to be the orchestrator of the incident, displaying Bancroft easy methods to apply the sandpaper to the ball as a way to change its situation.
Smith’s suspension was for not taking steps to stop the incident, having had data of it.
Each Smith and Warner earned their locations again within the Australia workforce earlier than Warner retired from worldwide cricket in 2024.
Smith has since grow to be Australia’s vice-captain below Pat Cummins. As a result of Cummins’ latest again harm, Smith captained Australia for the primary Check of the 2025-26 Ashes sequence, which Australia gained by eight wickets.
Bancroft briefly returned to the Australia workforce for the 2019 Ashes sequence shortly after his suspension lifted, however has not performed worldwide cricket since.
In 2021, Cricket Australia reportedly reponed an investigation into the case after Bancroft hinted that some bowlers knew in regards to the incident.
