Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening its investigation into the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, with chief executive Todd Greenberg saying there is "no compelling reason" to revisit the affair. The decision comes after Usman Khawaja's memoir brought the events of the 2018 tour of South Africa back into the open over the weekend — and after David Warner backed his former opening partner's account.

Greenberg confirmed on Tuesday that he had spoken to several members of the 2018 touring party since Khawaja's claims resurfaced. His message was blunt: the matter is closed, the board's position has not changed, and there is nothing to be gained by going back.

What Greenberg said

Speaking to SEN, Greenberg made Cricket Australia's position clear in plain terms.

"We don't see any compelling reason to open the investigation or revisit this again. I don't think there's anything that can be gained from that," Greenberg told SEN.

He said the board remained comfortable with the outcome of the original investigation, including what it had seen from Khawaja's memoir.

"We have said we're comfortable with the outcome of the investigation based on the information we've received. That includes what we've seen from Usman, and our position hasn't changed on that."

Greenberg was equally direct about the board's view of reopening the case.

"There's absolutely no benefit in going back, that's the clear position of the CA board. I think it's fine, we've got to look ahead, and the matter was dealt with under a previous leadership back in 2018. Trying to second-guess decisions from a previous time or making an assessment through the prism of hindsight is not something we want to do."

The claims that reopened the debate

In his memoir, Khawaja claimed Australia had used sandpaper in the Test before the infamous Cape Town match — at St George's Park in 2018. Warner, who has been close friends with Khawaja since childhood, said his fellow opener's account was "100 per cent accurate".

Greenberg acknowledged the disagreement at the heart of the story, saying the two versions of events could not be reconciled.

"When you cut to the core of the challenge that we face here, Usman's version of events is inconsistent with what others have had to say," Greenberg said. "I can assure you there are lots of other players who have a very, very different version of events. And they have made that very public from the very start of 2018, they have been very consistent in their position right through until today. From my conversations with many over the weekend, I don't think that will change either."

The bowlers stand by their 2021 denial

The bowlers from the Cape Town Test in 2018 — Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon — put out a joint statement in 2021 denying any prior knowledge of the plan to use sandpaper on the ball.

"We did not know a foreign substance was taken onto the field to alter the condition of the ball until we saw the images on the big screen at Newlands," their statement said.

Greenberg said he had spoken to the bowling group over the weekend and their position had not moved.

"In many of my conversations with them (the 2018 bowling group) over the weekend, their position has remained consistent and hasn't changed," Greenberg said. "Pat will speak at some point in the days or weeks ahead but I expect that their position will be exactly the same as it has been since the start of this in 2018."

Cameron Bancroft, who was caught on camera with the sandpaper at Newlands, was asked by The Guardian's Donald McCrae whether Australia's bowlers had knowledge of the plot before it was carried out. He reportedly replied: "Yeah, look, I think, yeah, I think it's pretty probably self-explanatory".

What happened in Cape Town in 2018

Cricket Australia's official investigation at the time found that only Bancroft, Steve Smith and David Warner would face sanctions. All three were banned, and all three later returned to the Test side.

Greenberg said "a lot of good" had come out of the events in Cape Town, which sparked a cultural review of Australian cricket and changes in high-performance staff and coaches. But he added that "closing the chapter" would be a "very, very hard task to achieve".

What happens next

Neither Cummins nor Hazlewood is involved in Australia's upcoming ODI and T20I series against England, which starts in Perth on Friday, but Cummins is expected to face the media soon. Starc is expected to attend a Kayo Sports event in Sydney today.

Lyon was named in New South Wales' Sheffield Shield squad to play this week, although he may withdraw because of the impending birth of a child. Bancroft, meanwhile, was content to "let his bat do the talking", according to Western Australia coach Beau Casson, after scoring a century in WA's Sheffield Shield win against South Australia.

The decision at a glance

Cricket Australia's board has settled its position: no fresh investigation, no revisiting the 2018 findings, and no change in stance despite the renewed debate. Khawaja's memoir and Warner's backing have reopened the argument in public, but the governing body says the matter was dealt with under a previous leadership and will stay closed.

FAQs

What has Cricket Australia decided?

Cricket Australia will not reopen the investigation into the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Chief executive Todd Greenberg said there was "no compelling reason" to revisit it and that the board was comfortable with the outcome of the original investigation.

What did Usman Khawaja claim in his memoir?

Khawaja claimed Australia had used sandpaper in the Test before the Cape Town match — at St George's Park in 2018. The claims resurfaced over the weekend of 7–8 November 2026.

What did David Warner say about Khawaja's account?

Warner, who has been close friends with Khawaja since childhood, said his fellow opener's account was "100 per cent accurate".

Who was punished after the 2018 scandal?

Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were the only three players sanctioned by Cricket Australia's investigation. All three were banned and later returned to the Test side.

What did the bowlers say in their 2021 statement?

Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon issued a joint statement denying any prior knowledge of the plan to use sandpaper, saying they did not know a foreign substance had been taken onto the field until they saw the images on the big screen at Newlands.

Conclusion

Greenberg's message leaves no room for doubt: Cricket Australia considers the 2018 ball-tampering investigation finished, and the board sees no benefit in reopening it. Khawaja's memoir and Warner's support have put the story back in the headlines, and Cummins is expected to speak in the days ahead — but as far as the governing body is concerned, the chapter stays closed.

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Sources: Cricket Australia — 'No compelling reason': Greenberg rules out fresh investigation