- PLUS: News Corp axes Stellar magazine.
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Corp → ax → magazine
We reveal the editor's next move
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We → reveal → move
- Radio industry insiders' brutal verdict on Dr Chris Brown hosting KIIS breakfast
- The crisis at Endemol Shine Australia as MAFS' future hangs in the balance
-
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future → host → balance
Jon Adgemis' former money man skips town after re-emerging as a councillor
By
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man → skip → councillor
The open secret
Usman Khawaja lobbed a grenade into Cricket Australia this week with his allegations of broader player knowledge of Sandpapergate - but Inside Mail understands David Warner's manager made similar revelations months ago.
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manager → lob → revelations
Warner has backed his childhood friend Khawaja's claim that Australia's ball-tampering scandal went beyond the three banned players which included the former Aussie opener, deposed captain Steve Smith and batsman Cameron Bancroft.
uncertain
which → back → opener
For eight years, the official version of events has been that only Warner, Smith and Bancroft were directly involved in the scheme during the 2018 tour of South Africa.
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Warner → involve → Africa
The incident unfolded in March that year, during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.
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incident → unfold → Town
An already hostile series descended into a crisis that cost Australia its captain and vice-captain and prompted a wider examination of the national team's culture.
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that → descend → culture
Cricket Australia identified Warner as the instigator of the plan, found Smith had failed to prevent it and sanctioned Bancroft for carrying it out.
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Smith → identify → it
David Warner has thrown his support behind Usman Khawaja as sandpapergate returns to the spotlight
Warner and Khawaja, pictured, have been friends since their junior days in western Sydney
Inside Mail is told that Warner's longtime manager James Erskine made similar claims to Khawaja in a character reference tendered to the court in August
Khawaja has now challenged that finding publicly, saying all of his former teammates and coaching staff knew the sandpaper was being used.
uncertain
sandpaper → throw → teammates
But it is understood that Warner's longtime manager James Erskine had already made similar assertions to a court back in August.
asserted
manager → understand → August
The claims are understood to have been included in a character reference tendered ahead of Warner's drink-driving sentencing at Waverley Local Court in August, months before Khawaja's revelations became public.
uncertain
revelations → understand → August
Warner was convicted of mid-range drink-driving and fined $1,500 on August 18.
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Warner → convict → August
Several character references were tendered before his sentence was imposed.
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sentence → tender → ?
We sought access to Warner's references in October but the request was denied.
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request → seek → October
Still, Inside Mail is told on good authority that Erskine claimed in his reference that the former vice-captain was poorly treated after Sandpapergate and that everyone in the Australian team and its management knew sandpaper was being applied to the ball.
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sandpaper → tell → ball
Approached by Inside Mail, Erskine declined to confirm the precise contents of the reference, which has not been publicly released, but stood by the document.
'I stand by my character reference,' he said.
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he → approach → reference
'I can't remember exactly what I said.
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I → remember → what
I write thousands of emails…
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I → write → emails
Obviously more than three people were involved.'
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people → involve → ?
Khawaja has challenged Cricket Australia's findings in his autobiography Sabr, alleging the team and coaching staff knew
Erskine said he could neither confirm nor deny precisely what he had written.
uncertain
he → challenge → what
His response comes as Warner backs Khawaja, whose autobiography Sabr challenges Cricket Australia's finding that only Warner, Smith and Bancroft knew of the sandpaper plan.
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Warner → come → plan
The distinction has defined the scandal for eight years: three players were punished, while the remaining players and coaching staff were cleared by the governing body's investigation.
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players → define → investigation
Khawaja now alleges knowledge was widespread, and Warner has publicly endorsed his account.
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Warner → allege → account
The development adds another dimension to a dispute that has again drawn in former teammates, coaches and Cricket Australia's leadership.
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that → add → teammates
Speaking in an Instagram video from Nepal on Monday, Warner thanked Khawaja for putting his account into the public record and endorsed his version as '100 per cent accurate'.
He described Cricket Australia's original investigation as 'rushed and botched', questioning how investigators could establish the full picture without interviewing Khawaja, who sat beside Bancroft in the dressing room.
uncertain
who → speak → room
Warner also defended his childhood friend against suggestions the revelations were merely designed to sell books, pointing to the notes Khawaja had kept about the events.
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Khawaja → defend → events
Warner described the original investigation as 'rushed and botched' while endorsing Khawaja's account
A shattered Warner hugs wife Candice before facing the press upon his return to Sydney after the sandpaper scandal in South Africa
'
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Warner → describe → Africa
This isn't about reopening old wounds,' Warner said on Instagram.
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Warner → reopen → Instagram
'It's about acknowledging that some wounds never properly healed.
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wounds → acknowledge → ?
I stand with my brother Usman Khawaja.
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I → stand → brother
'Speaking your truth takes courage, especially when people would rather you stay silent.
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you → speak → courage
Time passing doesn't replace accountability, and asking questions shouldn't be mistaken for holding grudges.
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asking → replace → grudges
That's all anyone can ask for.'
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anyone → ask → ?
The former vice-captain also spoke about the example he wanted to set for his children.
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he → speak → children
'Tell the truth, because lies will eventually get out,' Warner said, recounting a conversation with his daughters.
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Warner → tell → daughters
Khawaja insists his bombshell statements are about justice for Warner, Smith and Bancroft, not book sales.
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statements → insist → Warner
All of us,' he said.
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he → say → us
He has argued responsibility should extend beyond those who physically handled the sandpaper or were identified as organising its use.
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who → argue → use
…and 114 more, not listed.
The Aporia
