Australians woke up on a Sunday morning in 2018 to extraordinary vision plastered across their television screens and mobile phones: Cameron Bancroft, the opening batsman on the Australian men’s cricket team, caught on camera using a piece of sandpaper to tamper with the ball during a Test match in Cape Town. It was one of the most brazen acts of cheating ever broadcast.

This week, the Australian team returns to South Africa for their first Test series in the country since that scandal, which remains one of Australian sport's darkest moments.

Today, senior sports reporter Chris Barrett and chief cricket writer Daniel Brettig, recording from South Africa, on the so-called “arms race” of ball tampering that proceeded the 2018 Test, and how South Africans might respond when the captain from the 2018 team walks out onto the ground on Friday.



Further reading:
‘Just be careful, they’re on you’: Inside cricket’s greatest scandal
The Sandpaper series was radioactive from the start. Then a USB stick was delivered to my room

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris, from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more, rate, review and subscribe on Apple, Spotify,

Australians woke up on a Sunday morning in 2018 to extraordinary vision plastered across their television screens and mobile phones: Cameron Bancroft, the opening batsman on the Australian men&rsquo;s cricket team, caught on camera using a piece of sandpaper to tamper with the ball during a Test match in Cape Town. It was one of the most brazen acts of cheating ever broadcast. This week, the Australian team returns to South Africa for their first Test series in the country since that scandal, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/just-be-careful-they-re-on-you-inside-cricket-s-greatest-scandal-20261003-p60ygz.html?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=the_morning_edition&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom">which remains one of Australian sport's darkest moments.</a> Today, senior sports reporter Chris Barrett and chief cricket writer Daniel Brettig, recording from South Africa, on the so-called &ldquo;arms race&rdquo; of ball tampering that proceeded the 2018 Test, and how South Africans might respond when the captain from the 2018 team walks out onto the ground on Friday. 
Further reading:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/just-be-careful-they-re-on-you-inside-cricket-s-greatest-scandal-20261003-p60ygz.html?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=the_morning_edition&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom">&lsquo;Just be careful, they&rsquo;re on you&rsquo;: Inside cricket&rsquo;s greatest scandal</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/the-sandpaper-series-was-radioactive-from-the-start-then-a-usb-stick-was-delivered-to-my-room-20261006-p610t6.html?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=the_morning_edition&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom">The Sandpaper series was radioactive from the start. Then a USB stick was delivered to my room</a></li>
</ul>
The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris, from the newsrooms of<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/"> The Sydney Morning Herald</a> and<a href="https://www.theage.com.au/"> The Age</a>, weekdays from 5am.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more, rate, review and subscribe on<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/channel/smh-the-age/id6442611511"> Apple</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1v0tWOA2mdi5WU9hvjJ3da?si=f4b8d7fafdf5495d"> Spotify</a>,

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

If you enjoy this podcast and want to hear more, please rate, review & subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or whichever platform you find your pods.

The Morning Edition&nbsp;brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/by/samantha-selinger-morris-p4yvwp">Samantha Selinger-Morris</a> from the newsrooms of <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/">The Sydney Morning Herald</a> and <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/">The Age</a>, weekdays from 5am.
If you enjoy this podcast and want to hear more, please rate, review &amp; subscribe on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/channel/smh-the-age/id6442611511">Apple</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1v0tWOA2mdi5WU9hvjJ3da?si=f4b8d7fafdf5495d">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrLulycax3584BxKI1ZqSySsouknCWiUa">YouTube</a>&nbsp;or whichever platform you&nbsp;find your pods.

Inside 'sandpapergate' – cricket's greatest scandal

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/2e5c911e-c916-4d57-8dd0-b4db005d4851/transcript