Published: Feb 24, 2019, 10:05 AM (IST)
Edited: Feb 24, 2019, 10:04 AM (IST)
Cameron Bancroft has dismissed any speculations of a rift between him and Australia teammate David Warner following a tell-all interview last year. (ALSO READ: Bancroft hits century on first-class return)
Bancroft, in an interview for Fox, had claimed that it was Warner’s idea to use sandpaper to roughen up the ball during the Newlands Test against South Africa last year. (ALSO READ: I’ll be very surprised if picked for Ashes – Bird)
Warner, then Australia captain Steven Smith and Bancroft were banned for different periods by Cricket Australia for their roles in the scandal.
Following his revelations, a couple of days before his nine-month ban for ball tampering was to end, Ricky Ponting alongside several others had criticised Bancroft for throwing Warner under the bus.
However, the wicketkeeper-batsman, who returned to professional cricket through Big Bash League, says the trio has stood by each other during the ‘traumatic’ phase.
“I think all of us, including Dave, have been really challenged through this period of time,” Bancroft told ABC. “I know that all three of us have really stuck by each other and looked after each other well. You can’t understand the trauma I felt, it was probably very different trauma to how he (Warner) felt, and I can’t possibly understand that.
He added, “I guess moving forward there will be great lessons for all of us, including Dave. That’s something we’ve all shared with each other and something I’ve certainly shared with Dave when we’ve communicated throughout this entire journey.”
Bancroft returned to firs-class cricket with an unbeaten 138 for Western Australia in the ongoing Sheffield Shield. The 26-year-old has remined the national selectors his abilities and will be targeting a spot in the Ashes squad that gets underway later this year.
