Watch: Steve Smith laughed off spectator taunts about the ‘sandpaper-gate scandal’ while fielding near the boundary line on day four of the first Test match of the 2023 Ashes, at Edgbaston.
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The 2018 ball-tampering saga is one of the biggest cricket controversies. Australian batter Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera rubbing a piece of sandpaper on the ball during the Cape Town Test match against South Africa. Australia captain Smith and vice-captain David Warner admitted to planning the act in the dressing room, following which all three were banned from international cricket.
Smith and Warner also broke down while addressing the media in Australia. English fans used the incident to mock the two players on Monday when they were fielding.
Warner repeatedly put his hands behind his ears as he gestured towards the spectators, while Smith saw the humorous side of the “Steve, we saw you cry on the telly” jibes. Ollie Robinson, who was batting at the time, let out a laugh at the chants as well.
Watch the incident here:
The best sports crowds are English or Aussie pic.twitter.com/X6SLVJFzLY
— Nikhil Mehra (@TweetinderKaul) June 19, 2023
Steve Smith heads over to the Hollies for the first time this series….#Ashes pic.twitter.com/Hs1cRB56Lb
— England’s Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) June 19, 2023
Watch the Smith press conference that the crowd referenced here:
Heartbreaking. Steve Smith has broken down delivering a message to young Aussie cricket fans. pic.twitter.com/l14AsvAhXz
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 29, 2018
