Ball-tampering scandal: How a TV director’s sharp eye led to Australian cricket crisis

IT was the image that triggered the most devastating effect ever on the Australian Test team, claiming four sporting casualties and counting.

IT was the image that triggered the most devastating effect ever on the Australian Test team, claiming four sporting casualties and counting.

At 2.42pm South Africa time last Friday at Newslands, Cape Town, the freight train of Australian cricket hit a pebble.

“Junior” Australian player Cameron Bancroft was filmed with his hand down his pants, sparking a wild and unforeseen week that sent a long, proud Test history careering off the tracks.

Decisions and events before during and after that vision was captured and aired conspired to change the course of Test history, snowballing into a full-blown crisis and tearing apart a close-knit, highly-charged team.

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Cricket’s Scorsese moment was captured by South African TV network Super Sport, with their head of production the first to spot the unfolding train crash.

Footage of Australian fieldsman Cameron Bancroft hiding what later turned out to be sandpaper in his trousers has led to an Australian cricket meltdown.

The globally-respected and hands-on Alvin Naicker, who was directing as he has throughout the series, is still coming to terms with the fallout but maintained without the stage-fright the situation would be very different.

“It was a total fluke. It’s the storytelling that unfolded in five minutes — unscripted,’’ Naicker told the Sunday Herald Sun.

“I honestly believe if the Aussies didn’t react the way they did, the coach (on the walkie-talkie) and the panic, no one would be talking about it now and the players would still be here (in South Africa).

“We showed it on TV and the guys who control the big screen (which is operated independently) put it up (moments later) and the team panicked.”

An image of Cameron Bancroft seeking to rough up the ball on day three of the third Test in Cape Town.

While his eagle-eyed camera and production played a part, a lesser producer may not have had the presence of mind or gumption to sense the moment.

Asked what first triggered his director’s mind, Naicker said: “Bancroft shining the ball and when he threw the ball, in his right hand I could see something in between his fingers — whatever it was he put it in his pocket.

“This was purely coincidence. It wasn’t even the cameraman (who spotted it), he can’t see it on his viewfinder, it was the SMO (Slow Motion Operator, who’s in charge of replays) and me.

“He couldn’t see it, but we put it on a bigger monitor. I thought OK, I haven’t seen this before and we played it back in slow motion.”

Thinking on their feet, the followed up the initial slow motion, 10-15 second delayed footage by running the subsequent drama live.

The press conference after the day’s play with Bancroft (left) and captain Steve Smith where Bancroft claimed he had used a piece of tape to try to rough up the ball.

“Then I cut to him and cut to the coach (on the walkie-talkie). Something wasn’t right, so we continued following the story,’’ Naicker said.

“The rest of the visuals speak for themselves. We didn’t script it.

“They way they behaved gave us the opportunity to get more things unravelling.”

While stopping short of revealing that the “sticky tape” was sandpaper, Bancroft conceded that the replay threw him.

“I guess once I was sighted on the screen, having done that I panicked quite a lot and that resulted in me shoving it down my trousers,” Bancroft said.

Many first-rate technicians played a part in the 30-camera operation (18 manned, 12 unmanned), which is consistent for South African series.

A key moment was just before lunch when Warner, who the South Africans had privately made it known had a lot of tape on his hands, was no longer shining the ball.

Naicker had not heard of any accusations, but instinct told him to track the ball.

“The cameramen were following the ball, not Bancroft. I said ‘keep an eye on the ball’, players shining the ball makes for nice footage,’’ he said.

Dumped Australian captain Steve Smith in tears at a press conference at Sydney airport on Thursday night following his return from South Africa.

“Also the ball was not in play — it was in between deliveries (when he was caught).”

There was an inkling that Bancroft was going to hand the sandpaper to 12th man Peter Handscomb, who come onto the pitch relaying Darren Lehman’s message, if the cameras did not remain fixed on him.

The telling images were beamed into Australia at 11.42pm AEDT via a Fox Sports simulcast, coupled with local commentators.

Allan Border was flanked by Brendon Julian, who was being torn.

“It surprised me. I was on air they just threw the pictures up, I did not know they were coming up,’’ Julian said.

“As an ex-Australian cricketer and commentator, it was very hard. I don’t think I said anything — I said ‘that’s interesting’.

“You’re trying to process what you’re seeing. Deep down I knew straight away it was not good, and it was going to be a huge issue.

An emotional Cameron Bancroft at a press conference at Perth’s WACA Ground on Thursday.

“As soon as it went across the big screen, there was a big change in atmosphere (at the stadium).

“By the time 12th man ran out, the cameras were all over them.”

Lehmann, who quit late Thursday night as the fallout continued, relayed to Peter Handscomb “find out what the f**k is going on”.

The Australian’s chief cricket writer Peter Lalor was on air during a guest stint on SEN until two minutes before the money shot.

Australian coach Darren Lehmann announced his intention to quit on Thursday night.

“I was talking about ball tampering — we did almost half an hour on quasi-legal and illegal ways of getting the ball to reverse. One thing we didn’t discuss was sandpaper,’’ Lalor said.

“Then I walked by the TV commentary box and (ex-South Africa captain) Graeme Smith started whooping with delight saying ‘look what happened, look what happened’.

Dumped Australian vice-captain David Warner at his press conference on Saturday.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes. Even then I had no idea of the enormity of what was about to unfold.”

Naicker feels uneasy about the situation, and has even been accused of having ‘too many Aussies’ on his commentary team, with Shane Warne, Border and Julian headlining this series.

“We don’t want to gloat. At the time it felt great, but it doesn’t sit well with me now,’’ he said.

“It was never about going after the Aussies or an Aussie bashing. It (the scenes) was simply unbelievable.

“I’ve made it clear if South Africa did the same thing, I would’ve shown it as a director. I’m not scared, I’ve done a lot of big events.

“It doesn’t change anything if it happens with another team, we’ll do the same thing.

“The players have to be responsible, they have to know there’s a lot of cameras around, and they get paid a lot of money.”