Will be interesting if Warner writes book on ball-tampering scandal after retirement: Stuart Broad

By PTI

LONDON: England pacer Stuart Broad feels Australian cricket would be in for an “interesting time” if David Warner ever decides to write a book and open up about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal that led to him being barred from national captaincy for life.

Broad also agreed with Cameron Bancroft — who was banned for nine months for his role in the scandal — and then Australian bowling coach David Saker that the knowledge of the illegal ploy was not limited to the three men who were suspended for their part in it.

“I have seen a couple of comments from David Warner’s agent, too, and I think it will be an interesting time when he stops playing for Australia and writes a book,” Broad was quoted as saying by ‘ESPNcricinfo’.

“There’s no doubt the Aussies would have been hoping this episode was signed sealed and delivered. It was an incredibly tough thing for those three players to go through.”

“I can’t see it still being a conversation (when the Ashes start) in November, December, but I can see it being sung in the Barmy Army stands if they’re allowed.”

Warner’s manager James Erskine has said his client, former captain Steve Smith and Bancroft were “treated despicably” by Cricket Australia during the investigation and “eventually the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, will come out.”

Broad said in his experience, a bowler is very sensitive to the condition of the ball and everyone in the team is required to “buy into” plans to look after it.

“I’ve obviously never bowled within the Australian bowling attack but I can talk about how, in an England Test team, if I miss the seam by four millimetres, Jimmy Anderson is on me,” Broad said.

“He’ll be saying ‘why has this ball got a mark on it here? It’s because you’ve missed the seam! Start hitting the seam, will you’.”

“So as an England team, we are aware if we’re trying to get the ball reversing every player has to buy into that or it will stop it,” said the 34-year-old, who has taken 517 wickets from 146 Tests.

Talking further about how the whole team takes care of reverse swing, he said, “Reverse swing with the red ball can be affected by so many different things. If you chase it to the boundary and throw it into the grass it can smooth the ball over and stop it reversing.”

“If you touch the ball with wet hands it will stop it reversing. If you shine it in a way that smooths over the rough side it will stop it reversing.”

The 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa had led to a review of Australia’s win-at-all-cost team culture besides one-year ban on then captain Steve Smith and his deputy Warner.

Warner was also banned from leadership role for life while Smith was barred from captaincy for two years.