Australia’s Test captain Pat Cummins has labelled Usman Khawaja’s ball-tampering allegations “utter nonsense,” revealing he had received legal advice that the claims were “probably defamatory.”
At a 70-minute press conference in Sydney on Nov. 13, Cummins ruled out legal action against his former teammate, but strongly rejected allegations made in Khawaja’s book.
Cummins reiterated that he and the other Australian bowlers had no prior knowledge of the 2018 ball-tampering plot, in which Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball during a Test match against South Africa in Cape Town.
He agreed the bans handed down to Bancroft, David Warner, and Steve Smith were too harsh. A Cricket Australia investigation identified the three players as responsible for the plot.
However, Cummins rejected Khawaja’s claims that the entire team knew about the scheme and that he and others had helped devise it.
“When he says we all knew, if by that he means that we knew sandpaper was going out in the field, he’s 100 percent wrong,” Cummins told reporters.
“I’ve said that consistently for the last eight years. I did not know that was happening.
“But Usman actually says things that are actually far more serious than that. He says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper with sandpaper.
“That’s complete and utter nonsense.”
Cummins said he did not recall any discussions about the team taking collective responsibility for the scandal, as Khawaja said he had advocated in his book.
The 33-year-old said he had exchanged messages with Khawaja in recent days and planned to speak with him.
The allegations appear to have strained their relationship.
“Usman’s a friend, but friends aren’t casual with each other’s lives and reputations,” Cummins said.
“In his book, Uzzy’s been casual with my life and the lives of many others, and I think Australian cricket.
“I support his right to tell a story. I’m really glad that he feels like he can. But we have to be accountable for the things that we say and do.”
Cummins said it was up to Cricket Australia whether they would reopen the investigation into the matter, something the organisation has already ruled out.
But he made clear he wanted to move on from the scandal, declaring he hoped the Nov. 13 press conference would be the last time he had to speak about it.
“I did get advised this week that some of the things that were said are probably defamatory,” Cummins said.
“But I won’t be doing that. Like, you’ve got to move on. It’s been eight years.
“We’re moving on. You’ve got to draw a line at some point.”
Now the Australia Test captain, Cummins pointed out that he was just a 24 year old and had played only 13 Tests when the scandal unfolded in South Africa.
Cummins said he had also not yet spoken to Warner since the former vice-captain backed Khawaja’s claims, and could not explain why their position was so different to his.
“That sounds like a pretty good question for those two,” he said.
“Again, there’s quite a few different accounts here, so they’ve got two accounts.
“There’s 11 players in that room, so that means there’s nine other guys who I think it’s appropriate you give an equal amount of weight into their story as well.”
