David Warner’s manager James Erskine has come forward with a sensational claim that more people had knowledge of the Newlands ball-tampering scandal than just Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft.
While talking to local Australian radio, Erskine claimed that Warner “protected” his teammates on his advice to shield them from the fallout.
“The truth will come out,” he said.
“There’s lots of people …. There’s two cricketers at the time that said, ‘Why don’t we just put our hands up and tell the truth, they can’t fire all of us.’
“They all got a caning and basically David Warner was completely villainized.”
Warner, the vice-captain at the time, was banned from cricket for a year and for life from a leadership rolefor his part. His redemption arc was set to be completed soon but he withdrew his appeal against the ban.
Smith, the captain, was also banned for a year and from leadership positions for three years, while former test batter Bancroft was given a one-year ban from leadership positions on top of a nine-month playing suspension.
Smith is currently captaining Australia against West Indies in their second test match in Adelaide.
“(Warner) has shut up, he has protected Cricket Australia, he has protected his fellow players on my advice,” he added.
The revelations by David Warner’s manager are not new.
CA found only Warner, Smith and Bancroft culpable after a swift investigation in South Africa in 2018 but the cricketing fraternity has always held a belief that there was more going on behind the seans.
People believe that Australian bowlers, who were the main beneficiaries, must have okayed the plan to cheat, an acquisition they have denied.
