Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Former Australian bowler Chadd Sayers has backed up Usman Khawaja’s assertion that the whole Australian Test cricket squad in South Africa in 2018 knew of the plot to use sandpaper on the match ball and that they started doing it in the Port Elizabeth Test – one game before Cameron Bancroft was caught ball-tampering in Cape Town
“I’m pretty confident to say that everyone knew,” Sayers told radio station SEN, for whom he is commentating today’s ODI between Australia and England.
Sayers, who did not play in Port Elizabeth — now Gqeberha — or Cape Town but made his debut in the following Test in Johannesburg – also revealed that, as a fringe player in the squad, it was his job to come onto the field at a break in play and collect sandpaper from Cameron Bancroft so that he would not be caught with it on his person.
He said he carried out this task in the Port Elizabeth Test, but not in Cape Town, where TV cameras caught Bancroft trying to conceal sandpaper down his pants.
Xavier Batlett opens the bowling again for Australia as Tom Banton and Ben Duckett start batting for England.
Both survive the first over earning one run each.
England are 0-2 – 1 over
Australia have won the toss and have chosen to field first.
The 21-year-old who stunned on debut for Australia on Friday will miss the second ODI against England.
Mahli Beardman claimed six wickets in the series opener in Perth – the best performance by an Australian on ODI debut, but a Cricket Australia spokesperson issued a statement just before 1pm saying Beardman will be managed for the second match.
“Fast bowler Mahli Beardman will be managed for today’s second ODI against England in Adelaide as he builds capacity following recent injuries. He will return to the side for the third ODI in Hobart on Wednesday,” the statement read.
Ben Dwarshuis has been added to the squad to replace Nathan Ellis.
Australia: Mitch Marsh (c), Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis, Matthew Renshaw, Cameron Green, Jack Edwards, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson, Riley Meredith
England: Ben Duckett, Tom Banton, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Jofra Archer
As for the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal which re-emerged to dominate the news cycle in cricket last week, David Warner has issued another social media post on the matter today.
Warner – who was banned for a year in 2018 because of his role in Australia’s on-field use of sandpaper to tamper with the ball in a Test match in South Africa – posted on Instagram on Saturday, airing frustration about the inquiry Cricket Australia conducted into the scandal in 2018 that led to his suspension.
“As far as I am aware, CA did not interview Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc or Nathan Lyon in their 2018 investigation,” Warner posted to Instagram, where he has 10.3 million followers.
“It looks like they had decided who they wanted to blame from the very beginning, ran a shoddy investigation to serve the purpose, and now they want to maintain the false narrative that the bowlers had no idea. That stinks of a cover-up.”
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, there’s some chance of rain in Adelaide this afternoon, and the temperature is not going to reach any great heights.
Although rain has been forecast in the early afternoon, the bureau is predicting no more than 1mm, with the day’s top temperature of 20C to be reached about 2pm local time (2.30pm AEDT) when this match is scheduled to start.
The highlight of Australia’s win on Friday was the performance was a scintillating spell of bowling by tearaway Aussie quick Mahli Beardman.
On debut in the 50-over format, the 21-year-old snared 6-24 of 7.4 overs, demolishing the England middle-order after Australia won the toss and elected to bowl.
Beardman, a native Western Australian, thrilled the Perth crowd with his skill, speed and energy, registering the best bowling figures ever by an Australian on ODI debut, and the fourth-best figures for his country.
He dismissed England captain Harry Brook in his second over, batting great Joe Root in his third over and Jordan Cox in his fourth over – all caught behind by Josh Inglis – and followed up with the wicket of all-rounder Sam Curran, also in his fourth over.
In the end, England were dismissed for a paltry 131; a target Australia chased down comfortably, despite the loss of opener Travis Head for a golden duck. Skipper Mitchell Marsh lead the way at the top of the order with 50 off 30 balls to seal the win in just 23.3 overs.
G’day and welcome to our coverage of today’s one-day international between Australia and England in Adelaide.
Today’s match starts in about an hour – 2.30pm (AEDT). It is the second game of a three-match series, with Australia’s emphatic seven-wicket win in Perth on Friday giving them a 1-0 lead.
The third and final match will be played at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval on Wednesday, and then on Saturday the two nations will kickstart their five-match T20 series at the MCG.
