South African cricket’s broadcast partner is using footage from the infamous ball-tampering scandal to promote coverage for the upcoming Test series, in an indication of the hot reception Australia will receive over the next month.
SuperSport on Monday posted the incriminating footage to social media of Cameron Bancroft applying sandpaper to the ball and the Australian camp’s panic in the moments after being caught red-handed.
While the Australian camp has attempted to downplay the scandal in the build-up to their first Test visit here since the seismic events of 2018, the episode has not been forgotten by the South African broadcaster, which played the key role in unravelling the sandpaper plot.
The three minute, 49 second clip of SuperSport’s broadcast of the moments before and after Bancroft was busted has been widely viewed and shared on social media platform X, just days before the start of the first Test in Durban.
The post was accompanied by the message: “Our cameras will be sharp for this three-match Test series.”
It captures Bancroft’s application of sandpaper on the ball, then coach Darren Lehmann’s conversation on the walkie-talkie to Peter Handscomb on the bench and the conversation between the umpires and Bancroft and captain Steve Smith.
The incredulous reaction of former players, including the late great Shane Warne and Brendon Julian, can be heard in between overs, climaxing when slow-motion footage is shown of Bancroft attempting to conceal the sandpaper down his trousers.
“It looked like Bancroft was doing something to the ball then he had his hand in his pocket and got something,” Warne can be heard saying away from the microphone. “I couldn’t see what it was.”
SuperSport had suspected Australia of ball-tampering during the series, but the trail had gone cold after then vice-captain David Warner relinquished his role as Australia’s ball manager.
SuperSport’s head of production Alvin Naicker said they had no reason to believe Bancroft was involved.
“Not at all, zero, nothing, we didn’t have a clue,” Naicker told this masthead as part of an investigation into the scandal published last week.
“Bancroft’s pure mistake was putting the sandpaper in his pocket and the cameraman zoomed in. We were watching it from glorious high definition trucks – you can see the yellow thing sticking out of his pants.
“We could see through his pocket.
“What happened in Cape Town, to be honest with you, was pure luck. It had nothing to do with us going out deliberately looking for something.
“When Bancroft got the ball, he didn’t shine it on his pants. He started rubbing the ball on the palm. The cameraman stayed on Bancroft, he didn’t follow the ball to the next guy. When Bancroft put something in his pocket, the cameraman zoomed in.”
Australia captain Pat Cummins had little to say about the scandal in an interview before SuperSport’s social media post.
“It was a long time ago, and I don’t think there’s much more to add,” Cummins said. “We’re concentrating on the tour ahead.”
Australia’s most heated rivalries are against England and India but for South African fans their most eagerly awaited series since their return to world cricket are against the men in the baggy green.
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