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Former South African captain Faf du Plessis has reopened old wounds by ripping into David Warner and the Australian team for what he labelled their bullying behaviour in the infamous 2018 series marred by poor behaviour from both teams in the lead-up to the Sandpapergate scandal.
Du Plessis is on the promotional trail after the release of his biography, Faf: Through Fire, and in an interview with the BBC, he tore shreds off the veteran opening batter for his antics during the ill-tempered series.
During the first Test in Durban after a heated middle session, Warner followed Quinton de Kock up the players’ tunnel, hurling abuse at him in response to the Proteas batter’s sledges about the Australian player’s wife.
Du Plessis, who was filmed rushing to the scene draped only in a towel after he’d had a shower following his earlier dismissal, laid the blame for the ugly standoff at the feet of Warner.
“Australia wanted to bully us,” he says. “We had to stand up for ourselves. They abused us that whole game but the way we fought back turned the series around.
South Africa’s Faf du Plessis. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
“He was a bully. I don’t have time for bullies.”
Proteas paceman Kagiso Rabada was banned after deliberately making physical contact with his shoulder on Australian skipper Steve Smith in the next Test but had the suspension overturned to play in the third match in Cape Town, which is when Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to tamper with the ball after a plan he’d allegedly hatched with Warner, his opening partner.
Bancroft, Warner and Smith copped lengthy suspensions. Du Plessis was twice caught tampering with the state of the ball in international matches – using the zip of his pants in 2013 and three years later by using mints to produce extra saliva while shining a ball during a Test in Adelaide. However, he only received fines on each occasion.
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“I’m not perfect,” he says. “I’ve never claimed to be. I’ve never been the most talented player.
“Yes, I have talent, but it’s hard work and mental toughness that got me to where I am. I like to think that I’ve been able to control myself and take myself to places that went beyond my natural talent.”
Warner is hoping to have his lifetime leadership ban lifted so he can potentially captain the Sydney Thunder in the BBL or hold an official title with one of the three national teams.
Cricket Australia has opened the door for the sanctions to be revisited but a decision is not likely anytime soon.
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