Warne hints at Australian sandpaper gate cover-up as he slams Langer treatment

Shane Warne has compared Cricket Australia’s handling of Justin Langer’s departure to ‘Sandpapergate’, describing it as another ‘controversy’ they have ‘bungled’ and hinting at a cover-up

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Australian cricketers Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith admit to ball tampering

Shane Warne has questioned whether Cricket Australia have covered up ‘the truth about what actually happened’ in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.

The scandal, known as ‘Sandpapergate’, rocked Australian cricket when Cameron Bancroft was caught ball tampering with sandpaper during a Test match against South Africa.

It later emerged that captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner were all involved in the scandal and they were banned by Cricket Australia.

However, in an appearance on Fox Cricket’s Follow-on podcast, Warne has questioned whether more players were involved in the plot.

Warne said Sandpapergate was another ‘controversy that Cricket Australia has just bungled’ along with Justin Langer ‘s recent departure as head coach and the Tim Paine sexting scandal.

“We still don’t know the truth about what actually happened at Sandpapergate,” Warne said.

“Does Cricket Australia know the truth? Do they? Do the same people know the truth about Sandpapergate? Are they hiding anything?

“Does Cricket Australia know the truth? Is it the truth that we’ve heard? Why should Smith and Warner be the only two? Who knows. But the truth will come out.

“If Cricket Australia are hiding something again after Justin Langer, Tim Paine, we could go on about all the controversies that Cricket Australia has just bungled, messed up and handled completely wrong.

“They knew about Tim Paine and still allowed him to captain Australia and swept it under the carpet. When someone found out they just threw him under the bus. What is this organisation doing?”

Warne also labelled Cricket Australia’s treatment of Langer “pathetic”, adding: “To treat the head coach the way they have, it’s an absolute disgrace what they’ve done.

“All of us who have played with Justin, we are not coming out because he’s our friend or a great cricketer or a Hall of Famer. We are coming out because it’s the treatment of the coach.

“Forget it’s Justin Langer. It’s just the treatment of Cricket Australia and the way they have handled the coach of the Australian cricket team. It’s been pathetic.”