Sandpapergate: Michael Clarke calls for investigation over fresh ball tampering allegations from David Warner’s manager

Shocked former Test captain Michael Clarke has demanded Cricket Australia launch an investigation into new ball tampering allegations made by David Warner’s manager.

Shocked former Australia captain Michael Clarke says bombshell allegations about ball tampering must be formally investigated, demanding Cricket Australia “cannot sweep this under the carpet”.

David Warner’s manager James Erskine stunned the cricket world on Thursday when he alleged players were given the green light to cheat after they were berated in the change rooms following a loss to South Africa in Hobart in 2016.

Australia’s Test team leaves the field after day 1 of the match against South Africa in Hobart in 2016. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Just 16 months later Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were banned from cricket after they were identified as the only men who knew of the team’s plans to tamper with the ball with sandpaper during a Test match at Newlands in 2018.

Clarke said he had previously been hoping the infamous sandpapergate saga would disappear, but says now strong claims have been made that more than the banned trio knew of the plot and unnamed officials have been implicated, Cricket Australia must thoroughly investigate.

“Since Sandpapergate happened that I wish this thing would go away. Well I’m going to say the opposite,” Clarke said on his Big Sports Breakfast radio program.

“The thing that needs to be clear to Cricket Australia, you cannot sweep this under the carpet and say, ‘well we’ve got a new board, we’ve got a new CEO, we’ve got a new high performance’.

“You’re not sweeping this boys … you better find out what the heck has gone on because I want to know, as a past Australian captain, I want to know what is going on inside the set-up.

“I’m telling you if James Erskine has that information. You think that’s the only thing he’s got? This thing is not going away. The truth needs to be told.

“Because yesterday is an explosion. This thing is going nowhere. This thing is getting out of control. This thing is getting bigger.

“There’s some nervous men waking up this morning, let me tell you.”

Originally published as Sandpapergate: Michael Clarke calls for investigation over fresh ball tampering allegations from David Warner’s manager