Mitchell Starc has rejected Usman Khawaja’s explosive claim that every member of the Australian team knew of the ball-tampering plot during the infamous 2018 Test series against South Africa, declaring he has no intention of reading his former teammate’s book and suggesting it was up to Khawaja whether they maintain a relationship in the future.
uncertain
they → reject → future
With Khawaja’s allegations – which were backed up by former Test teammate David Warner on Monday evening – threatening to overshadow the start of Australia’s home Test summer, Cricket Australia’s nightmare played out at a Kayo Sports launch in Sydney on Tuesday.
asserted
nightmare → back → Tuesday
Starc became the first member of Australia’s current Test team to face the media since Khawaja’s book Sabr, which was released on Tuesday, reignited debate over who knew what during the ill-fated tour that culminated in Cameron Bancroft being caught concealing sandpaper down his trousers in Cape Town.
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Bancroft → become → Town
The veteran fast bowler was polite but bristled visibly when asked questions about the scandal, with a Cricket Australia media manager attempting to move the press conference along to a different subject less than four minutes after it began.
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it → bristle → subject
This time, the wounds of 2018 have been reopened not by the media but by one of Starc’s former Test teammates.
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wounds → reopen → teammates
Starc said he stood by a joint statement released in 2021 with fellow bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon denying they had any knowledge that sandpaper had been taken onto the field in Cape Town to tamper with the ball.
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sandpaper → say → ball
That account is at odds with Khawaja’s claim that “everyone knew”.
uncertain
everyone → know → claim
“I thought we were here for the summer of cricket,” Starc said with a laugh.
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Starc → think → laugh
“I haven’t really paid much attention to it [the coverage of Khawaja’s claims].
uncertain
I → pay → claims
We were heavily drilled through the process at the time since.
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We → drill → time
Now, I guess, I won’t speak on behalf of the bowlers, but where I stand, my opinion hasn’t changed.
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opinion → guess → bowlers
My recollection hasn’t changed from what we said in 2021.”
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we → change → 2021
Asked whether “everyone knew”, Starc responded: “It’s obviously in a book.
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It → ask → book
That’s for someone to explain further.
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someone → ’ → ?
As far as our statement said [in 2021], we weren’t aware of it being taken on the field.
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it → say → field
That’s where I’ll leave it.”
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I → ’ → it
Asked whether he knew the ball was being tampered with in one way or another, Starc said: “We weren’t aware it was taken on the field to be tampered with.
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it → ask → field
We saw it on the big screen [for the first time] in Cape Town.
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We → see → Town
As far as the book’s concerned, I haven’t read it and probably won’t read it, so that’s for Usman to elaborate on.”
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Usman → concern → it
Starc also denied knowing that Bancroft or any other Australian player had used sandpaper during the second Test in Port Elizabeth, as alleged by Khawaja.
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Bancroft → deny → Khawaja
“That’s the first I was aware of it [in Cape Town].
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I → ’ → Town
I’ll leave that for the said author to explain,” Starc said.
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Starc → leave → that
“I [am] sticking to what I said five years ago.
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I → stick → what
Clearly there’s different versions from different people, and I’ll leave it where I left it back then.
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I → ’ → it
Beyond the conflicting accounts of what unfolded in South Africa, Khawaja’s revelations appear to have strained relationships with some of his former teammates.
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revelations → conflict → teammates
Starc said he had not spoken to Khawaja “in the last day or two”, but when asked whether he would ever speak to him again, his response was telling.
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response → say → him
“It’s up to him,” Starc said.
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Starc → ’ → him
With Australia preparing for the first Test against New Zealand in Perth on December 9, Starc made no secret of his frustration that the scandal had once again become a major talking point.
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scandal → prepare → frustration
“It’s definitely disappointing,” he said.
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he → ’ → ?
“That’s what we’re talking about heading into what has already kicked off an exciting summer.
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what → ’ → summer
Different people felt different ways about it at the time and throughout, and certainly through the last eight years.
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people → feel → years
“I think not only the certain players, but certainly there’s some staff members.
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I → think → ?
‘Boof’ [coach Darren Lehmann] for one has spoken a little bit as well.
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Boof → speak → one
He’s not to be forgotten in all of that, too.
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He → ’ → that
I think Travis [Head] said it best the other day that the group has changed a lot.
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group → think → it
We certainly look forward to what’s coming up more so than what’s been gone.
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what → look → ?
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