Australia's sandpaper scandal reexamined as teams prepare for Cape Town return
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 9, 2026, 9:29 AM
Last updated Oct 9, 2026
Australia's cricketing scandal, known as sandpapergate, continues to spark debate eight years later. The Australian team, arriving in South Africa under tense circumstances, faced scrutiny when captain Faf du Plessis noted their bowlers generated exceptional swing, raising suspicions of ball tampering. A notable incident involved vice-captain David Warner being observed with heavy bandaged hands, leading to further inquiries about ball handling. As the teams get ready for their return to Cape Town, questions remain over the conduct of both sides during the contentious series.
- •Australia and South Africa's rivalry marked by hostility in previous series.
- •Suspicious circumstances arose during the 2018 series in South Africa.
- •Warner's bandaged hands became a focal point of concern.
- •Current discussions revisit the implications of the scandal.
- •Series tensions escalated with controversial incidents on the field.
- 9:29 AMYahoo Sports — Anatomy of a scandal: The extraordinary story of sandpapergate and how Australia got caught
"LONG READ: Australia arrived in South Africa amid simmering hostility and left in disgrace, writes Lawrence Ostlere. But, as they prepare to return to Cape Town eight years on, there remain uncomfortable questions about who knew what
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days- ICC•Oct 9, 2026, 9:47 AMAustralia cricket team players age: How old is Australia's current Test squad?
- ICC World Test Championship•Oct 9, 2026, 9:17 AMSteve Smith's batting average in Test cricket in every country: South Africa remains a major blip
- Cricket•Oct 9, 2026, 9:03 AMSA vs AUS Test series 2026: Full list of commentators and broadcast talent for Australia tour of South Africa
ICC World Test Championship•Oct 9, 2026, 8:23 AM'Our cameras will be sharp': South African broadcaster SuperSport takes a dig at Australia over Sandpapergate ahead of Test series
ICC World Test Championship•Oct 9, 2026, 7:36 AMSouth Africa v Australia: first men’s cricket Test, day one – live
ICC•Oct 9, 2026, 6:31 AMCummins unfazed by potential revelations from Khawaja's autobiography
