Fans trolled Steven Smith and David Warner with sandpaper, recalling the sandpaper incident once again despite several reminders from the officials in the first T20 International of the three-match series between South Africa and Australia. Fans displayed provocative banners that said Sandpaper for sale.
In 2018, Warner, Smith, and Cameron Bancroft were involved in ball-tampering in the Cape Town Test and as a result, the trio was suspended by Cricket Australia (CA) with Warner and Smith receiving a one-year ban while the same was nine months for Bancroft. Smith stepped down as captain following the incident.
Boos followed in after Smith managed to hit a four off Dale Steyn. The spectators booed at Warner when the umpire immediately ruled it out as a dead ball.
Despite a knock of 45 off 32 that played a pivotal role in the Kangaroo’s win in the first T20I match of the three-game series, Smith found himself amid boos although one must say that the crowd wasn’t as brutal as he might have expected.
On the other side, Warner managed to score just four runs before losing his wicket as the visitors hoisted a total of 196 for six. Chasing 197, the Proteas failed miserably and crumbled to 89 all out.
Ashton Agar starred with the ball as he took five wickets, registering the best-ever bowling figures by an Australian bowler in T20Is. His feat came with a hat-trick and with this, he became the second Australian to achieve the same in the shortest format.
Australia will now take on South Africa in the second T20I on Sunday, February 23.
