During the third Test between South Africa and Australia at Newlands, a fan cheekily taunted Nathan Lyon with sandpaper, reviving memories of the 2018 scandal. Meanwhile, the match remains fiercely contested as both teams vie for a series victory and crucial World Test Championship points.
The ghosts of the 2018 Sandpaper scandal appeared to have returned as the South African crowd at Newlands on Day 1 of the ongoing third and final Test of the series in Cape Town on Tuesday, October 27.
On the opening Day of the Cape Town Test, South Africa were put to bat first by Australia captain Pat Cummins and bundled out for 329 in 82.3 overs, with Marques Ackerman (95), Aiden Markram (98), David Bedingham (50), and Marco Jansen (52) leading the Proteas charge. Markram and Ackerman’s 158-run opening partnership and then a crucial 95-run stand for the seventh wicket between Jansen and Rickelton (42) boosted the hosts’ total past the 300-run mark.
For Australia, Mitchell Starc led the bowling attack with figures of 6/73 at an economy rate of 4.40 in 16.3 overs. Nathan Lyon (2/71), Cooper Connolly (1/41), and Josh Hazlewood (1/59) chipped in with crucial wickets to keep the scoring checked and wrap up the South African innings before stumps.
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Nathan Lyon Taunted by South African Fan with Sandpaper
As Australia kept chipping away at the South African batting order, a section of the crowd along the boundary rope took full advantage of the match’s venue to revive memories of the infamous 2018 Sandpapergate scandal.
In a video that went viral on social media, Nathan Lyon was fielding near the boundary line when a South African fan apparently tried to mock the veteran Australian spinner by waving a sheet of sandpaper in front of him and cheekily offering it for an autograph.
Rather than taking it as an offence, Lyon handled the moment with good humor, exchanging a smile and a chuckle before returning to his bowling mark. The South African crowd, who were already lining up along the fence to witness the exchange, burst into laughter as the cheeky gesture brought back memories of the infamous ball-tampering scandal that rocked Australian cricket during the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa.
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Nathan Lyon was part of Australia’s 2018 Test squad for the series against South Africa when his teammates Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were handed long bans by Cricket Australia for their involvement in the ball-tampering plot, which derailed Australia’s reputation.
Returning to South Africa after eight years, the Australian squad was either reminded of the shocking incident or greeted with relentless banter from local spectators throughout the tour.
Australia and South Africa Aim for Series Win
Meanwhile, South Africa and Australia are aiming to clinch the three-match series. Currently tied at 1-1, the two heavyweights are determined to claim bragging rights and secure crucial World Test Championship points in this series decider.
The Pat Cummins-led side won the opening match of the series by 214 points, earning crucial points to maintain top spot on the WTC points table. However, in the second Test, the Temba Bavuma-led Proteas made a strong comeback with an innings and a 31-run victory to consolidate their chances of qualifying for the second WTC final as the defending champions.
Australia and South Africa, who were the finalists in the WTC 2025 Final, where Proteas famously defeated the then-defending champions by 5 wickets at Lord’s to lift their maiden Test crown, are keen to re-establish their dominance and take another step toward securing a place in the next WTC final.
As Australia assumed their first innings on Day 2, openers Travis Head (41) and Matt Renshaw looked to lay a solid foundation under clear skies at Newlands. At Lunch, the visitors posted a total of 90/2, with Renshaw and Cameron Green batting on 27 and 17, respectively, and trailing by 239 runs.
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