Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg has ruled out reopening the investigation into the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, despite renewed allegations from former Australian batter Usman Khawaja that the entire team knew about the use of sandpaper during the controversial Test against South Africa.
Meanwhile, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has expressed disappointment over Khawaja’s account, insisting that his recollection of the incident has not changed and that the bowling attack was unaware of the plan to alter the condition of the ball.
Greenberg Says There Is No Reason to Revisit Investigation
Greenberg said Cricket Australia remained satisfied with the findings of its original investigation and saw no compelling reason to examine the scandal again.
Speaking to Australian broadcaster Sports Entertainment Network, he said he had not yet read Khawaja’s autobiography, where the latest allegations were made, but intended to consider the former player’s account.
He also expressed respect for Khawaja’s decision to share his version of events, while noting that some details in the book contradicted accounts previously provided by other players.
Greenberg said he wanted to assess Khawaja’s actual statements rather than react to media headlines and the discussions surrounding them.
He added that players had been encouraged to come forward when the investigation took place and had continued to have opportunities to share relevant information over the past eight years.
According to Greenberg, Cricket Australia’s position remained unchanged based on the information available to the organisation.
He said reopening the investigation would not achieve anything meaningful, adding that he did not believe further examination of the matter would produce any benefit.
Starc Disputes Khawaja’s Account of the Scandal
Starc, who was part of Australia’s bowling attack during the controversial 2018 Test in Cape Town, said he was disappointed that the allegations had resurfaced ahead of the upcoming Australian summer.
Speaking at a season launch event in Sydney, the fast bowler said he had not paid much attention to the media coverage surrounding Khawaja’s claims.
He maintained that his recollection of the events had remained consistent with the position he and his fellow bowlers presented in 2021.
Starc explained that the bowling attack did not know sandpaper had been brought onto the field to tamper with the ball.
He said they only became aware of the situation after seeing it displayed on the stadium’s big screen in Cape Town.
The bowler also made clear that he had not read Khawaja’s autobiography and was unlikely to do so, leaving the former batter to explain his account.
Australia’s Bowling Attack Previously Denied Knowledge
Starc was among the four frontline bowlers involved in the third Test against South Africa, alongside Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.
In 2021, the quartet released a joint statement denying knowledge that a foreign substance had been taken onto the field during the match.
Their statement maintained that they were unaware of the sandpaper being used to alter the ball’s condition.
Starc reiterated that position, saying he would not speak for the other bowlers but that his own recollection had not changed since the original investigation.
He also pointed out that Australian cricket had undergone significant changes since the incident, with the current team looking ahead to upcoming commitments rather than continuing to revisit events from 2018.
Khawaja Makes Further Claims About Port Elizabeth Test
Khawaja’s autobiography reportedly contains another allegation concerning the second Test of the series, played in Port Elizabeth.
The former Australian batter claimed that sandpaper had also been used during that match, adding another dimension to the controversy.
Starc said this was the first time he had heard about any alleged sandpaper use in Port Elizabeth.
His comments further highlighted the differences between the accounts provided by members of the Australian team about what happened during the South African tour.
Warner Backs Khawaja’s Version of Events
Former Australia vice-captain David Warner has publicly supported Khawaja’s recollections of the scandal.
Warner, who received a 12-month suspension following the ball-tampering incident, said on Monday that Khawaja’s claims were “100% accurate”.
His backing adds to the conflicting accounts surrounding the incident, with some former players supporting Khawaja’s version while members of the bowling attack continue to deny knowing about the use of sandpaper.
Greenberg Says Conflicting Accounts Make Agreement Unlikely
Greenberg acknowledged that the different recollections of the incident made it difficult to establish a version of events that everyone involved would accept.
He said the situation had reached a point where one person’s account directly contradicted another’s, raising questions about what further investigation would accomplish.
According to the Cricket Australia chief executive, people appeared to want a single account of the incident that all parties could agree on.
However, he said he did not believe that was achievable given the conflicting perspectives from people who were involved in the same events.
Greenberg maintained that Cricket Australia would stand by the outcome of its original investigation and had no plans to reopen the case.
