Comments made by Cameron Bancroft about having wider knowledge pertaining to the ball-tampering affair in the Cape Town Test of 2018 has created quite a bit of buzz in the Australian cricket ranks. And now, Cricket Australia's head of national teams, Ben Oliver, has confirmed that the integrity unit headed by Rebecca Murray has reached out to Bancroft to ask if he knows something more than he told at the time of investigation and that if he has something more to add.
Oliver said that as it has been said often that Cricket Australia is willing to listen to more and more ‘new information' and hence Cameron Bancroft has been contacted by the integrity unit. He said that the unit will wait for his response before coming to any conclusion.
"I think we've maintained all the way through that if anyone had any new information relating to that incident that we've encouraged people to come forward and discuss that with our integrity unit. In this particular case, our integrity team have reached out to Cam again extending that invitation to him if he does have any, any new information. We'll wait to see his response on that, we haven't had had a response. But in saying that we're operating on different time zones," Oliver said on Monday, May 17.
Oliver also dismissed allegations that Cricket Australia tried to sweep sandpaper gate under the carpet and did not launch a comprehensive investigation for an issue that many former cricketers say has embarrassed the culture and legacy of the country.
"There was obviously a thorough investigation into that, to that incident. There were actions taken on the back of that and then since that time, everyone who's been involved in the team has worked incredibly hard to rebuild confidence and to ultimately sort of aspiring to make Australians proud of the Australian cricket team. So from that point of view that processes have taken place,” Olliver added.
Former players such as Michael Clarke and Adam Gilchrist have voiced their opinions on reopening the sandpaper gate following Bancroft’s assertion that bowlers must have been aware of the ball conditions in the Cape Town Test.