{
  "id": 20167452,
  "title": "Sayers says he believes entire Australia team knew about Sandpapergate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/sayers-says-he-believes-entire-australia-team-knew-about-sandpapergate-20167452",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-15T11:48:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40449020/sayers-says-he-believes-entire-australia-team-knew-about-sandpapergate"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Australia test bowler Chadd Sayers has expressed his belief that the entire 2018 Australia team was aware of the Sandpapergate scandal, in which players allegedly used sandpaper to tamper with the ball's surface. Speaking on SEN radio, Sayers, 39, stated he believes everyone in the team knew about the sandpaper being used during both the second and third tests in South Africa. The scandal led to the bans of captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner for 12 months, with Cameron Bancroft receiving a nine-month suspension. Khawaja, who wrote about the incident in his autobiography, claims the knowledge of the plan extended beyond the three punished players. Sayers confirmed that he was the player responsible for removing the sandpaper during the second test, saying it was given to him to take off rather than being part of any planned scheme. While Sayers did not face an inquiry from Cricket Australia, he remains confident that the entire team, including the bowlers, were in on the scheme.",
  "summary": "Former Australia test bowler Chadd Sayers backed Usman Khawaja’s claims about the Sandpapergate scandal on Sunday, saying he believes everyone in the side during the 2018 tour of South Africa knew sandpaper was being used to alter the condition of the ball. The tampering, discovered during the third test at Newlands in Cape Town, led to former captain Steve Smith and vice captain David Warner…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "ESPNcricinfo",
        "title": "Sayers backs Khawaja's claims on sandpaper, goes against Cummins",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/sayers-backs-khawajas-claims-on-sandpaper-goes-against-cummins",
        "published": "2026-11-15T04:58:32.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport",
        "title": "Australia's Sayers 'took sandpaper from field' & rejects Cummins' claims",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/australias-sayers-took-sandpaper-from-field-rejects-cummins-claims",
        "published": "2026-11-15T07:32:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Australia's Sayers 'took sandpaper from field'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/australias-sayers-took-sandpaper-from-field",
        "published": "2026-11-15T07:32:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Sydney Morning Herald",
        "title": "Australian cricket player backs Khawaja’s sandpapergate claim",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/australian-cricket-player-backs-khawajas-sandpapergate-claim",
        "published": "2026-11-15T07:37:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Age",
        "title": "Australian cricket player backs Khawaja’s sandpapergate claim",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/australian-cricket-player-backs-khawajas-sandpapergate-claim-20135378",
        "published": "2026-11-15T07:37:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Sayers says he believes entire Australia team knew about Sandpapergate",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/sayers-says-he-believes-entire-australia-team-knew-about-sandpapergate",
        "published": "2026-11-15T09:40:38.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}