Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg has said the board sees no compelling reason to reopen the investigation into the 2018 Newlands ball-tampering incident. The position follows renewed discussion after Usman Khawaja's published account. It also sets up media appearances from Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Marsh.
Greenberg's Position on the 2018 Newlands Investigation
Greenberg said the Cricket Australia board sees “absolutely no benefit in going back” to the matter. The incident took place during the third Test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town in March 2018. Cameron Bancroft was caught on television cameras using sandpaper to alter one side of the ball in an attempt to generate swing.
Greenberg said the matter was dealt with under previous leadership in 2018. He added that second-guessing those decisions through the “prism of hindsight” was not something the board wanted to do.
Key Points at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Incident | Third Test, Newlands, Cape Town |
| Month and year | March 2018 |
| Player caught on camera | Cameron Bancroft |
| Years since the incident | 8 |
| CA board stance | No reopening of the investigation |
Khawaja's Article and the Response from Sayers
Usman Khawaja had written publicly about the Cape Town incident. Former Australia bowler Chadd Sayers then responded to that account. Sayers was part of the Australian squad on the 2018 tour and played the Test that followed the sandpaper match.
“Everything Usman says in his article is accurate,” Sayers told SEN Radio.
Greenberg acknowledged the article but said the board's position had not shifted. He said the board was comfortable with the outcome of the investigation based on the information it had received, including what it had seen from Khawaja.
Differing Accounts from the Dressing Room
Greenberg noted that other players in the Cape Town dressing room hold accounts that differ from Khawaja's version. He said those players had made their versions public from the start in 2018.
This divergence is central to the board's reasoning. In Greenberg's view, a fresh inquiry would end up at the same point, with people holding different versions of events from eight years ago.
Why the Board Cites the Bowlers' Consistency
Greenberg said the bowlers who played in Cape Town have been consistent from the original 2018 investigation through to the present. He also pointed to their statements in the days immediately after the Test and those that emerged in 2021. His conversations with several of them over the weekend, he said, had not changed that picture.
He acknowledged calls for the truth but said he did not see anything that could be gained from reopening the process. He also said no one would like to see this chapter closed more than him, but that closure was unlikely.
Consistency Timeline Cited by Greenberg
| Period | Event | Board's Reading |
|---|
| March 2018 | Newlands Test and ball-tampering incident | Matter handled under previous leadership |
| Days after the Test, 2018 | Original investigation | Bowlers' accounts described as consistent |
| 2021 | Public statements emerge | Bowlers' accounts described as consistent |
| Present | Khawaja's article published | No new grounds to reopen |
Upcoming Public Appearances by Cape Town XI Players
Greenberg confirmed that Australia captain Pat Cummins, who was among the bowlers in the Cape Town XI, would address the issue. He said there was no doubt that fans would hear from Cummins and other players in the coming days or weeks.
Mitchell Starc, another bowler from that match, was due to appear before the media on Tuesday, November 10. Mitchell Marsh, who also featured in the Cape Town XI, was scheduled to hold a media conference in Perth on Thursday ahead of the first ODI against England.
Scheduled Media Commitments
| Player | Role in 2018 Cape Town Test | Expected Media Timing |
|---|
| Pat Cummins | Bowler in the XI | Coming days or weeks |
| Mitchell Starc | Bowler in the XI | Tuesday, November 10 |
| Mitchell Marsh | Member of the XI | Thursday, Perth, ahead of first ODI vs England |
What the Decision Means Going Forward
The board has formally declined to reopen proceedings, yet public discussion is likely to continue. Three players from the Cape Town XI are due to face the media in a short window. Their statements will show whether the accounts Greenberg describes as consistent remain unchanged.
From a governance standpoint, the stance is clear. The 2018 outcome stands, and the board does not see new information that would justify a second process. Whether further public accounts shift that position remains to be seen, though Greenberg has indicated he expects the picture to stay the same.