'Dont think anybody is surprised more than three people knew': Michael Clarke on Bancroft's ball-tampering remarks | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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'Dont think anybody is surprised more than three people knew': Michael Clarke on Bancroft's ball-tampering remarks

May 17, 2021 01:26 PM IST

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Big Sports Breakfast, Clarke said that he feels there is no way bowlers would not have known about it.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has pointed out that he is not surprised to find out that more than three people might have known about the ball-tampering plot. The 2018 ball-tampering scandal that had rocked Cricket Australia has reignited once again after Aussie batsman Cameron Bancroft, who was handed nine-month ban for his role in the sandpapergate, hinted that Australia bowlers might have known about it.

Michael Clarke has responded on Cameron Bancroft remarks.(File)
Michael Clarke has responded on Cameron Bancroft remarks.(File)

Apart from Bancroft, Steve Smith and David Warner were also handed 12 months ban for their roles in the scandal. But no other player was found to be involved by CA after a thorough investigation.

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But recently, in an interview with The Guardian, Bancroft hinted that it is "self-explanatory" that bowlers might have known.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Big Sports Breakfast, Clarke said that he feels there is no way bowlers would not have known about it.

“They’ve got to hold the ball to bowl with it,” he was quoted as saying by Fox Cricket.

“I can tell you now if you went and grabbed a pen, just a pen and put a little ‘1’ somewhere on my cricket bat; on top of the handle, on the edge of the bat, on the toe of the bat, on the face, under the grip, anywhere, just a little number one, I would have noticed," Clarke added.

“If you are playing sport at the highest level you know your tools that good it’s not funny. Can you imagine that ball being thrown back to the bowler and the bowler not knowing about it? Please," Clarke further said.

The 2015 ODI World Cup winning Australia captain further said that he does not think any body is surprised to find out more than three people might have known.

“I love how the articles in the paper are ‘it is such a big surprise that Cameron Bancroft has made a …’ Actually if you read his quotes it is not what he did say as what he didn’t say in regards to other people knowing about sandpapergate," Clarke said.

“What’s the surprise? That more than three people knew? I don’t think anybody who has played the game of cricket or knows a little bit about cricket would know that in a team like that, at the highest level, when the ball is such an important part of the game.

“I don’t think anybody is surprised that more than three people knew about it," he signed off.

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