A supermarket in South Africa has come up with a clever way to greet Australia as the cricket team returns to the country, eight years after a major scandal during their last visit. Pick n Pay Hypermarket announced that it will not be selling sandpaper until October 31, in a humorous nod to Australia’s infamous ball-tampering incident during the 2018 Test series in South Africa.
This announcement comes right after the first Test match between South Africa and Australia. The Aussie team is back for a three-Test series, starting with the opening match at Kingsmead in Durban on October 9. This tour marks their first Test visit to South Africa since the scandal that cast a shadow over Australian cricket, resulting in lengthy bans for three of its players.
### What Happened During Sandpaper Gate?
The controversy began during the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town in March 2018. The match was already intense when television cameras captured Australian opener Cameron Bancroft using sandpaper to manipulate the ball’s condition. The footage showed Bancroft trying to hide the sandpaper after being caught. This incident quickly became a national scandal, prompting an investigation by Cricket Australia.
Australia’s then-captain, Steve Smith, later admitted that the team had discussed a plan to tamper with the ball. The vice-captain, David Warner, was found to be behind the idea and had instructed Bancroft to execute it. Cricket Australia responded by banning Smith and Warner for 12 months each, while Bancroft received a nine-month suspension. In addition, Smith and Warner were barred from captaincy roles for a period, although Warner’s restrictions were lifted in 2024.
The scandal affected not only the players involved but also the entire team. Coach Darren Lehmann announced he would resign after the series, and the event sparked an urgent discussion about the team’s culture and values. This episode has been labeled “Sandpapergate” and continues to impact the reputation of Australian cricket to this day.
### A Heated Rivalry
Before the sandpaper incident, the 2018 series was already filled with tension. Players from both teams were exchanging heated remarks, making the matches more confrontational as both sides fought fiercely for advantage. Ultimately, although South Africa won the four-Test series 3-1, the ball-tampering incident became the main focus of the tour.
Now, eight years later, both teams come into this series with different dynamics. Pat Cummins is now leading Australia, while Smith and Warner, who were at the center of the scandal, are no longer in their previous roles. Warner has officially retired from international cricket. Nevertheless, the memory of that incident still lingers whenever these teams meet, especially on this tour—the first Test visit to South Africa since the controversy.
Pick n Pay’s playful sandpaper announcement shows how deeply this episode is woven into the rivalry’s history.
### Looking Ahead for Australia
As they prepare for the three-Test series, Australia aims to shift the focus from the past and instead highlight their performance on the field. Led by Cummins, the team has a wealth of experience and is looking to prove itself as a top contender in Test cricket.
Meanwhile, South Africa will be eager to capitalize on home advantage. As the current World Test Championship winners, they have shown that they are a strong team in this format of the game, and this series gives them a chance to go up against a major rival.
While there is a lot at stake on the cricket field, the lead-up to the series has made it clear that the past won’t be easily forgotten. For Pick n Pay Hypermarket, their cheeky message is a light-hearted take on sports history, but for Australian cricket, it is a constant reminder of a scandal that still resonates today. The sandpaper may be off the shelves until the end of the month, but the jokes about it continue to circulate.
