“I can see it being sung in the Barmy Army stands during Ashes”

England seamer Stuart Broad has stated that the true picture of Australia’s 2018 ball-tampering saga will come to light if David Warner ever writes a book on it post retirement. The 34-year-old further hinted at English supporters bringing up the matter during the Ashes later this year.

Sandpaper Gate has gained fresh momentum after Cameron Bancroft, who was caught tampering with the ball during the Cape Town Test against the Proteas, recently suggested that the pacers were also involved in the illicit act. Giving his two cents on the incident, Stuart Broad empathised with the three accused.

“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. There’s no doubt the Aussies would have been hoping this episode was signed and delivered.," said Broad.

“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,” Stuart Broad was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

Cricket Australia (CA) banned then Australian captain Steve Smith and his deputy Warner from all professional cricket for a year, while Bancroft was sanctioned for nine months. Bancroft’s latest words have also gained attraction from Warner’s agent James Erskine and then Aussie bowling coach David Saker – both of whom have indicated that almost the entire team was kept in the loop.

“If we’re trying to get the ball reversing, every player has to buy into it” – Stuart Broad

James Anderson (L) and Stuart Broad (R) are the fourth and seventh-highest wicket-takers in Tests respectively

Elaborating on handling a cricket ball, Stuart Broad threw light on the English players’ – particularly veteran seamer James Anderson – ethos in taking care of the ball to facilitate reverse swing.

“If I miss the seam by four millimetres, Jimmy Anderson is on me. 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 it or it will stop,” Stuart Broad explained.

Throwing the red cherry on the ground and applying wet hands on it are some of the reasons which hamper the movement.

“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 reversing it. 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,” Stuart Broad, who is England’s second-highest wicket-taker in international cricket, added in this regard.

A gruelling Australian summer awaits Tim Paine’s men, and the ordeal might just entail two types of music – chin music from the English speedsters on the field and the Barmy Army’s compositions off it.