Alvin Naiker, head of production at South African network SuperSport, has revealed it was a ‘pure coincidence’ that he caught Bancroft
The eagle-eyed TV director who filmed the Australian cricket team cheat against South Africa has revealed it was ‘total fluke’ that he caught them in the act.
Last Saturday, batsman Cameron Bancroft, 25, was caught pulling sandpaper from his pocket and rubbing it on the ball to illegally gain an advantage.
Footage of him holding the sandpaper was broadcast around the world, forcing the disgraced Australians to admit to cheating in a scandal which has rocked the nation.
Today, Alvin Naiker, head of production at South African network SuperSport, has revealed it was a ‘pure coincidence’ that he caught Bancroft red-handed.
He said he only asked his cameraman to film the players shining the ball because it made ‘good footage’ before noticing something suspicious.
‘I saw Bancroft shining the ball and when he threw the ball, in his right hand I could see something in between his fingers – whatever it was he put it in his pocket,’ Naiker told the Sunday Herald Sun.
‘This was purely coincidence. It wasn’t even the cameraman who spotted it, he can’t see it on his viewfinder, it was the Slow Motion Operator, who’s in charge of replays, and me.
‘He couldn’t see it, but we put it on a bigger monitor. I thought OK, I haven’t seen this before and we played it back in slow motion.’
Bancroft and Steve Smith admitted that ball tampering had taken place during the action
Opening batsman Bancroft was seen running his hand over the ball, before removing a yellow object from his pocket and placing it down the front of his trousers
Bancroft was spoken to by English umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth on Saturday
The pair then played the footage of Bancroft holding sandpaper on TV before it was shown on the big screen at the ground, causing the batsman to panic and embarrassingly shove the paper down his pants.
After the game, the 25-year-old admitted his cheating and said: ‘Once I was sighted on the big screens I panicked quite a lot and that resulted in me shoving it down my trousers.
It comes after former vice-captain David Warner’s wife blamed herself for his cheating – saying he wanted to win at all costs to silence abuse from fans.
The abuse largely centred on a 2007 encounter between Candice and rugby star Sonny Bill Williams, which ended with the pair being photographed having sex in the toilet of a Sydney pub.
Candice Warner, 33, says she blames herself for husband David masterminding the Australian cheating plan in South Africa that saw him suspended and out of millions in wages and sponsorship deals
The disgraced batsman and his distraught wife were subject to an onslaught of abuse in the weeks that led up to the ball tampering scandal
The abuse largely centered on a 2007 encounter between Candice and rugby star Sonny Bill Williams (pictured with Quade Cooper), which ended with the pair being photographed having sex in the toilet of a Sydney pub
‘I feel like it’s all my fault and it’s killing me. It’s absolutely killing me,’ Candice told The Daily Telegraph on Saturday.
When asked if Warner, 31, has been affected by the scandal, she said: ‘Without a doubt and that’s the hardest thing to deal with because I feel like it’s all my fault.’
She said her husband has been ‘seriously struggling’ after a month that started with him in an ugly dressing room stoush with Quinton de Kock – allegedly over her fling with Williams.
It ended with him sent back to Australia in disgrace and questioning if he’ll ever play again.
But Candice said she hasn’t been ‘much of a support’ to Warner since the tour of South Africa, as she’s constantly been in tears.
‘Seeing them wearing the masks, to have people staring and pointing and laughing at me, to have the signs, to have the songs made up about me, I would have to sit there and cop that,’ Candice said.
‘I feel like it’s all my fault and it’s killing me. It’s absolutely killing me,’ Candice said on Saturday
When asked if Warner (pictured), 31, has been affected by the scandal, she said: ‘Without a doubt and that’s the hardest thing to deal with because I feel like it’s all my fault’
She said her husband has been ‘seriously struggling’ after a month that started with him in an ugly dressing room stoush (pictured) with Quinton de Kock – allegedly over her fling with Williams
Candice said she hasn’t been ‘much of a support’ to Warner since the tour of South Africa, as she’s constantly been in tears
South Africa fans wore masks featuring Williams’ face during the series in an attempt to humiliate Warner.
The masks also appeared as retaliation to Warner’s bust up with de Kock, who reportedly sledged Warner in the stairwell at Durban by bringing up his wife’s decade-old encounter with Williams.
Warner snapped and had to be restrained by his teammates Usman Khawaja and Nathan Lyon as he directed a verbal barrage in return.
Cricket South Africa was then forced to apologise after two officials posed for a photograph with fans wearing the masks.
Candice said her husband protected his family as much as he could during the tour, which also saw him locked in an angry exchange with a spectator.
Warner was verbally abused by the fan as he returned to the dressing rooms after being dismissed in the Third test.
South Africa fans wore masks featuring Williams’ face during the series in an attempt to humiliate Warner
Warner snapped and had to be restrained by his teammates Usman Khawaja and Nathan Lyon as he directed a verbal barrage in return