England pacer Stuart Broad has expressed his views on the Sandpaper Gate incident that happened during the Cape Town Test in 2018. One of the Australian accomplices, Cameron Bancroft, recently gave a new direction to the whole incident when he said that the involvement of the bowlers was “self-explanatory.”
Talking about the same, Broad pointed out that the bowlers in his side’s pace attack can instantly get aware of the changes in the seam position if the ball stops reversing.
“I’ve obviously never bowled within the Australian bowling attack but I can talk about how, in an England Test team, if I miss the seam by four millimeters, Jimmy Anderson is on me.He’ll be saying ‘why has this ball got a mark on it here? It’s because you’ve missed the seam! Start hitting the seam, will you,” Broad was quoted as saying by ESPNcricInfo.
Expounding the factors that can affect the seam, the veteran pacer stated that minor actions like throwing the ball in the grass and touching it with wet hands could hinder the reverse swing.
“Reverse swing with the red ball can be affected by so many different things. If you chase it to the boundary and throw it into the grass it can smooth the ball over and stop it from reversing. If you touch the ball with wet hands it will stop it from reversing. If you shine it in a way that smooths over the rough side it will stop it from reversing,” Broad explained.
The 34-year-old adumbrated that every player in the team has to contribute his part in helping the bowler move the ball.
“So as an England team, we are aware if we’re trying to get the ball reversing every player has to buy into that or it will stop it.” Broad enunciated.
Speaking of the Ashes tour at the end of the year, Broad asserted that England supporters’ Barmy Army would definitely take a jibe at the Aussies for the tainted incident if they are allowed to do so.
“There’s no doubt the Aussies would have been hoping this episode was signed sealed and delivered. It was an incredibly tough thing for those three players to go through. I can’t see it still being a conversation [when the Ashes start] in November, December, but I can see it being sung in the Barmy Army stands if they’re allowed,” the Nottingham-born stated.
Concluding the interview, Broad revealed that he would like to read a book regarding the incident from David Warner.
“I have seen a couple of comments from David Warner’s agent, too, and I think it will be an interesting time when he stops playing for Australia and writes a book,” Broad reckoned.
Warner and Steve Smith were the two other accused in the defamatory incident and were banned from all forms of cricket for a year.
