Watch: Ross Taylor signs on a 'sandpaper' for fans

In the aftermath of the Australian ball-tampering scandal, Ross Taylor signed a sandpaper for the fans on the first day of the second Test between New Zealand and England at the Hagley Oval on Friday (March 30).

The sandpaper that was signed by Taylor (Source: Courier Mail)

It looked like a prank by England's Barry Army against their Ashes rivals, who have been rocked by the ball-tampering incident that took place in the Newlands Test match between South Africa and the Kangaroos. Cameron Bancroft admitted to using a sandpaper to change the condition of the ball so as to extract reverse-swing from the same. That is what led to this prank in the New Zealand-England Test.

A video of Tayor signing the sandpaper was recorded and uploaded on Twitter. It seems like the New Zealand batsman was hurriedly signing autographs for the fans between overs. In his haste to return to the boundary, he signed the sandpaper as well and tossed it to the snickering fans before him.

Ross Taylor signs a piece of sandpaper. pic.twitter.com/2JGPjmON5r

— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) March 30, 2018

You cannot know whether the record-breaking Kiwi batsman realized that it was a sandpaper or if he had unwittingly taken part in an ugly joke against his Trans Tasman rivals. A group of England's Barry Army was also dressed in the Australian Test kit to take the joke to mock the kangaroos even further.

The Australian leadership group has arrived. 😂 pic.twitter.com/T363zZgrWP

— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) March 30, 2018

The ball-tampering scandal has attracted a lot of attention from different parts of world cricket and has also seen some drastic consequences already. Steve Smith and David Warner, who were a part of the 'leadership group' that planned the whole thing, have now been handed 12-month long bans by Cricket Australia. Bancroft has also been banned from participating in international cricket, albeit for 9 months.