Starc denies Khawaja claims as Cricket Australia won't reopen investigation

Usman Khawaja claims in new book 'Sabr' that every Australia player was aware of ball-tampering scheme in Cape Town in 2018; current Test captain Pat Cummins set to speak to media in coming days and weeks; Mitchell Starc says recollections have not changed as he denies knowledge of plot

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Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has denied any prior knowledge of 'Sandpapergate' after former team-mate Usman Khawaja's explosive claims that the entire dressing room knew about the ball-tampering scheme in South Africa in 2018.

Khawaja made the revelations in his new book 'Sabr', bringing the scandal back onto the agenda after eight years.

David Warner - who said on Monday that Khawaja's version of events was "100 per cent accurate" - Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were banned after the sandpaper affair, with Cricket Australia asserting only that trio were privy to the plot to alter the condition of the ball in order to try and make it swing.

The bowlers in that Cape Town Test - seamers Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood and spinner Nathan Lyon - released a joint statement in 2021 saying they were not aware of the tampering.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, after Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg insisted there would be no re-opening of the 'Sandpapergate' investigation , Starc said of Khawaja's claims: "I haven't really paid much attention to it to be fair.

"There are differing opinions of eight years ago. We were heavily grilled through the process, at the time and since.

"I won't speak on behalf of the bowlers but from where I stand my opinion hasn't changed, my recollection hasn't changed from what we said in 2021.

"As far as our statement said, we weren't aware of things being taken on the field. That's where I'll leave it.

"I will be sticking to what I said five years ago, what I said at the time eight years ago, so clearly there is differing versions from different people.

"We weren't aware of anything taken on the field to be tampered with. We saw it on the big screen in Cape Town.

"As far as the book is concerned, I haven't read it. I probably won't read it, so that's for Usman to elaborate on."

On Khawaja saying the ball was also tampered with in the Test before the Cape Town fixture, at Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha, Starc added: "That's the first I was aware of any of that."

Current Test captain Cummins is poised to speak about the issue publicly in the coming days or weeks, according to Greenberg.

Greenberg, who was not part of Cricket Australia at the time of the scandal, told Australian radio station SEN on the decision not to launch a fresh inquiry: "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.

"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. Our position hasn't changed on that.

"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."

Greenberg added: "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.

"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.

"I think we end up at the same intersection point, which is eight years ago people have a version of events which differ from each other.

"No one would like to get this chapter of Australian cricket closed more than me, but it is unlikely."

Cummins, Starc, Lyon and Hazlewood are not part of the upcoming white-ball series at home to England.

However, batting all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who also played in the 'Sandpapergate' Test, will captain the side in the three ODIs and five T20s.

Marsh is due to give a press conference on Thursday ahead of the first ODI at Perth's Optus Stadium the following day.