England pacer in the longest format, Stuart Broad has chanced his scepticism at the Sandpaper gate claiming that it has more to offer than what appear on papers. The incident has been troubling Australian cricket ever since the infamous sandpaper gate saga at the Newlands Ground in South Africa back in March 2018.
England's second-leading wicket-taker in the longest format felt that it is very difficult to simply deny the fact that only three players were involved in scuffing up the ball without any other members having an idea about it.
Giving an example of how a bowler easily comprehends the change in the ball, Broad said, "I've obviously never bowled within the Australian bowling attack but I can talk about how, in an England Test team, if I miss the seam by four millimetres, Jimmy Anderson is on me.” "He'll be saying 'why has this ball got a mark on it here? It's because you've missed the seam! Start hitting the seam, will you’,” the 34-year-old added while speaking at a sanitisation promotion event partnered by ECB.
Broad, who has 517 Test scalps to his name feels that the Aussies wanted the episode to be over by now, but if it lingers on, the England support team could use it to their advantage in the Ashes Down Under. “I can't see it still being a conversation [when the Ashes start] in November, December, but I can see it being sung in the Barmy Army stands if they're allowed,” he said.
The Nottingham born went on to predict that maybe David Warner, one of the three Aussie players suspended after the Newlands incident may go on to write a book about it.
"I have seen a couple of comments from David Warner's agent, too, and I think it will be an interesting time when he stops playing for Australia and writes a book,” said Broad who is gearing up for the Test series against New Zealand beginning June 2 with the first Test at Lord’s.
England will lock horns against New Zealand in a two-match Test series ahead of the Test Championship final between India and New Zealand. In August, they will host India for a five-match Test series which will commence from August.