Pat Cummins warns Australia could face ‘hostility’ on first Test tour of South Africa since Sandpaper Gate
Pat Cummins, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne Australia captain Pat Cummins expects the Test team could face some hostility when they return to South Africa for their first red-ball tour since the infamous Sandpaper Gate scandal in 2018.Australia are scheduled to play three ODIs and three Tests in South Africa. Although the Australians have continued to visit the country for white-ball cricket since the ball-tampering controversy, the upcoming Test series will be their first in South Africa since the incident.Cummins is currently not with Australia for the three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe, but will link up with the team in South Africa for one-dayers before the start of the Test campaign on October 9.
Cummins expects some hostility in South Africa
Speaking on the Keepin’ it Cricket podcast, Cummins acknowledged that the 2018 episode could still be sparked by sections of the home support.“There could be a little animosity,” Cummins admitted. “(But) it can’t be any louder than an Ashes series… Birmingham, the Hollies Stand at Edgbaston, that’s pretty loud.”The Australian captain has already experienced South African crowds during previous white-ball tours and was also one of the standout performers during Australia’s 2018 Test series against the Proteas.Australia aren’t expecting anything completely unfamiliar when they return to the three-Test competition.“As long as I’ve been in South Africa, there are sections of the crowd that get stuck there, but I think we’ve seen it all.“Most importantly, I’m the captain, so I’m in the middle; I’m not on the fence!”
“Everybody moves on,” says the Australian captain
Cummins also suggested that the reaction to Sandpaper Gate might not be as intense as some might expect. He recalled that the issue had been heavily debated during previous encounters, but felt that the reaction from the South African fans was ultimately less dramatic than expected.“It (Sandpapergate) was kind of really talked about (in past series) and it was almost a bit overwhelming,” Cummins said of the reaction from the Proteas fans.For Cummins, the best way to overcome the controversy will be to focus on cricket once the series gets underway.“Everybody moves on. The good thing is three Tests, you get stuck in cricket and everybody gets worried about cricket quickly.”“I’m sure there will be some rowdy people in the crowd and some articles or some media will bring things up. But our group has moved on,” he added.Australia still have six players in their current set-up who were part of the team that lost the 2018 series 1-3 to South Africa. The tour became one of the darkest episodes in Australian cricket after a ball-tampering scandal led to year-long bans for Steve Smith and David Warner, while Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months.
Cummins rejects preparation excuse after Bangladesh loss
Cummins also reflected on Australia’s recent defeat to Bangladesh in Darwin, their first home loss to the Bangla Tigers.The result raised questions about whether Australia were sufficiently prepared for the series, but Cummins dismissed the suggestion.“Whether it was an Ashes Test or a Bangladesh series, I think we would have prepared exactly the same. Of course you look at it after the series, but I actually thought we were in a really good place; everyone fit in, firing.”However, the Australian captain accepted that his team simply did not perform at the required level in Darwin.“I just think we didn’t play very well. I don’t think it was a lack of preparation. I just don’t think we were at our best and Bangladesh played brilliantly and didn’t really let us go,” he added.
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