Pat Cummins has laughed off suggestions he was arguing with his wife, Rebecca, after they were photographed having an animated exchange outside their Sydney home, as Usman Khawaja's autobiography reignited the Sandpapergate saga.
asserted
autobiography → laugh → saga
In a lengthy Sydney press conference on Friday, Cummins addressed dozens of questions about the ball-tampering exposed during the third Test of the tour in Cape Town in 2018.
asserted
Cummins → address → 2018
He described Usman Khawaja's claims that the whole Australian team knew about the plan as 'complete and utter nonsense', and accused Khawaja of being 'casual with lives and reputations'.
uncertain
team → describe → lives
Cummins then addressed News Corp photographs of him and his wife in a heated discussion beside their car on Wednesday afternoon.
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Cummins → address → afternoon
He was barefoot and alternated between pacing and leaning against the car, while Becky did much of the talking.
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Becky → alternate → talking
But on Friday, Cummins laughed off the interaction, and revealed his wife was actually upset with his former teammate.
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wife → laugh → teammate
Becky wears her heart on her sleeve.
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Becky → wear → sleeve
We weren't having a spat.
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We → have → spat
Becky was very frustrated, animated and really not happy with Usman,' he said.
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he → say → Usman
'She's always just said to be honest and tell the details and put your washing away.'
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She → say → washing
Pat Cummins has laughed off claims of a marital row after being photographed in an animated exchange with wife Rebecca outside their Sydney home
Cummins revealed his wife was actually furious with his former teammate, not her husband, as Usman Khawaja's allegations reignited the Sandpapergate saga
Mrs Cummins appeared to put the speculation to rest by sharing a sweet family photograph on her Instagram Story
Cummins added that his wife had witnessed all major events throughout his career.
uncertain
wife → laugh → career
I've been with Becky since well before that tour, so she's seen everything.
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she → see → everything
She leaves it all with me,' he said.
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he → leave → me
'So, she's just saying, like, show your emotion because there are a lot of people here hurting.'
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she → say → people
He also expressed his frustration at being filmed during what he described as a private family moment.
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he → express → moment
Like, we're here talking about something that was dealt with eight and a half years ago [and] now I'm walking my daughter, one-year-old daughter in a nappy out the front, and I've got cameras chasing me and my family,' he said.
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he → talk → me
Hours after the couple were photographed having an animated discussion, Rebecca shared an affectionate family photo on her Instagram Story.
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Rebecca → photograph → Story
In the image, Rebecca rested her head against her husband as he held their daughter, Edith, whose face was hidden from view.
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face → rest → view
She tagged Cummins and captioned the photo: 'My loves'.
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She → tag → loves
The Australian cricket community erupted after Khawaja's autobiography, Sabr, was released on Tuesday.
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autobiography → erupt → Tuesday
Khawaja's autobiography, Sabr, released on Tuesday, alleges knowledge of the ball-tampering scandal extended beyond the three players Cricket Australia sanctioned over the incident
Cummins also expressed his frustration at being filmed during what he described as a private family moment
The book alleges knowledge of the ball-tampering scandal extended beyond Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, the three players Cricket Australia sanctioned over the incident.
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Australia → release → incident
Bancroft was caught using sandpaper on the ball during the third Test in Cape Town in March 2018.
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Bancroft → catch → March
Smith and Warner were handed 12-month bans and stripped of their captaincy and vice-captaincy, respectively, while Bancroft received a nine-month suspension.
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Bancroft → hand → suspension
Khawaja's account has now placed renewed scrutiny on Australia's bowling attack, which included Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.
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which → place → Cummins
All of us,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald ahead of the book's release.
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he → tell → release
In a joint statement in 2021, the four bowlers maintained they had no knowledge that a foreign substance had been brought onto the field to alter the ball's condition during the Cape Town Test.
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substance → maintain → Test
Khawaja, meanwhile, faced further questions about his account during an appearance on ABC's 7.30, including whether he was frustrated that the bowlers had not acknowledged knowing about the sandpaper.
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bowlers → face → sandpaper
'I'll say again, I've given my statement about what happened the game before.
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what → say → statement
I was very open and honest to what I saw and what conversations I had,' he said.
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he → see → conversations
Khawaja admitted he was unsure what the fallout from the revelations could mean for his friendship with Cummins
Khawaja has since cancelled several media appearances although he denied withdrawing from his book tour
'Sometimes I'm very specific on things, and sometimes I'm a bit vague on things, and I do it on purpose because I'm trying to tell a story.'
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I → admit → story
When pressed further about the bowlers, Khawaja refused to elaborate.
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Khawaja → press → bowlers
'I'm not going to entertain that.
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I → go → that
I'm not going to really speak on any more of it at this moment,' he said.
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he → go → moment
He also admitted he was unsure what the fallout from the revelations could mean for his friendship with Cummins.
uncertain
fallout → admit → Cummins
'I've told my truth, and I'd give him my reasons,' Khawaja said.
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Khawaja → tell → reasons
I'm not here to go on a witch hunt.'
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I → go → hunt
Khawaja has since cancelled several media appearances, including an interview with Seven News, although he denied withdrawing from his book tour.
Australian Cricketers' Association chief executive Todd Greenberg has said there would be 'absolutely no benefit' in reopening the investigation.
It has also been reported that CA chairman David Boon has backed Cummins and assured him his position as captain is secure.
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position → cancel → captain
Before the latest allegations emerged, Cummins insisted the team had already answered questions about the scandal repeatedly.
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team → emerge → scandal
All the investigations, everything was done back then.
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everything → do → ?
Answered every question a million times,' he said ahead of Australia's recent tour of South Africa.
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he → answer → Africa
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
