Langer defends Smith and Warner over Sandpapergate, blasts South African documentary as ‘smug’

Former Australia coach Justin Langer has reopened the Sandpapergate controversy as Australia prepare for their first Test series in South Africa since the infamous incident in Cape Town in March 2018. Langer’s comments come ahead of day two of the second Test against South Africa, reigniting debate over one of cricket’s most damaging scandals.

Speaking on the In The Middle With Watto podcast, Langer mounted a robust defence of the three suspended players. He argued that Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft had borne the burden not only for Australian cricket but for the sport globally.

“In my opinion, Steve Smith, David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, not only took one for the Australian cricket team, they also took it for cricketers all around the world. And what I mean by that, the ball has not reversed swung anywhere in the world since that day, including both teams in the first two test matches, the ball hasn’t reversed swung,” Langer said on the podcast.

Langer’s central claim was that reverse swing, a dominant feature of Test cricket before 2018, had substantially diminished following the scandal. While reverse swing has been observed on occasions in Test cricket since 2018, its prevalence and status as a major talking point have been substantially reduced, according to cricket analysis.

Langer criticises South African documentary as ‘smug’

Langer also directed sharp criticism at South Africa, claiming that a documentary released following the incident singled out Smith and Warner for particular scrutiny. He described the documentary as really smug and expressed visceral discomfort while viewing it.

“And Freddie Flintoff, I wrote this as well, Freddie Flintoff at the time, the prime minister’s banging his chest. All these people, I watched a really smug documentary that the South Africans made about a year into my coaching of the Australian team, which I just felt like vomiting the whole time I was watching it, showed the stuff of Steve Smith. I went to England when Steve Smith and David Warner came back for the World Cup and the way they were treated was disgusting, literally as bad adult human behaviour I’ve ever seen,” he added.

The way they were treated was disgusting, literally as bad adult human behaviour I’ve ever seen, Langer said of Smith and Warner’s treatment in England.

Langer backs Flintoff’s ‘glass houses’ argument

Langer also referenced former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff’s defence of Smith and Australia in 2018. Flintoff had argued that the criticism directed at Australia was hypocritical, suggesting that ball-tampering had been a longstanding practice in cricket across multiple nations.

“So it made me sick. But Andrew Flintoff at the time summed it all up. While everyone’s pouring everything on Australia, Andrew Flintoff said three words, those in glass houses. Ball has not reversed swung since,” said Langer.

The Sandpapergate incident in March 2018 saw Cameron Bancroft caught by television cameras roughing up the ball with sandpaper hidden in his pants during a Test match in Cape Town. The scandal resulted in lengthy suspensions for three players and prompted Darren Lehmann’s resignation as Australia’s head coach, with Langer subsequently taking over the role.