David Warner has fired back at Australian captain Pat Cummins , as the ugly ball-tampering scandal continues to divide players past and present.
Cummins fronted media for 70 minutes on Friday morning , answering a long list of questions relating to the infamous 2018 incident in South Africa.
Australia’s Sandpaper scandal has continued. Getty
The skipper denied claims made by Usman Khawaja in his new autobiography, where the former Test batsman claimed the whole team knew about a plan to use sandpaper against the Proteas.
He labelled the allegations from Khawaja as “utter nonsense” and admitted that their long-standing friendship was strained , although he added that they would “work through it”.
Cummins said that Friday’s press conference was the last time he would speak publicly on Sandpapergate – but that doesn’t mean it’s over yet.
Warner, a close friend of Khawaja dating back to their youth, has slammed the Aussie captain and believes he “threw Uzzy under the bus” in his presser.
“Pat Cummins was very well prepared, but I still stick by Uzzy and what he’s written in that book,” Warner said on Fox Cricket.
“It is the truth and I really support him. I actually feel for him at the moment. I actually feel that the captain today actually threw Uzzy under the bus.
“I’m very, very disappointed about that.”
Warner, who was suspended alongside Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith for their role in the ball-tampering plot, then alluded to Cummins’ comments about the impact on his personal life since Khawaja’s revelations were made public.
The retired opener said there was “nothing worse” than the backlash he, Smith and Bancroft copped over the past eight years.
“All three of us have paid a big price in this,” he said.
“I hadn’t spoken about it in eight years, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to live with these consequences daily. We’ve been served a life punishment.
“There’s nothing worse for me, Steve and Cameron, who have to walk over there every single day. We cop abuse. Yes, we accepted it [the punishment].
“But my wife and I, as well, pay the greatest price. We lost a baby during that time, and that’s why it really hurts me the most until the truth is accepted.”
David Warner isn’t backing down. Getty Images
Smith is yet to address the fallout but is expected to speak to media soon, with the Test series against New Zealand fast-approaching.
Bancroft was stopped by media at the airport earlier in the week and said he had no comment “at this stage” relating to the 2018 saga.
Mitch Marsh , who was also part of the Test team at the time, deflected questions during his press conference on Thursday before the ODI series against England.
has fired back at Australian captain , as the ugly ball-tampering scandal continues to divide players past and present.
, answering a long list of questions relating to the infamous 2018 incident in South Africa.
The skipper denied claims made by in his new autobiography, where the former Test batsman claimed the whole team knew about a plan to use sandpaper against the Proteas.
He labelled the allegations from Khawaja as “utter nonsense” and admitted that , although he added that they would “work through it”.
Warner, who was suspended alongside and for their role in the ball-tampering plot, then alluded to Cummins’ comments about the impact on his personal life since Khawaja’s revelations were made public.
, who was also part of the Test team at the time, before the ODI series against England.
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