The ‘Monty Python’ star responded as if Ponting had criticised Usman Khawaja for the state Australian cricket is in, but the comments were manufactured and falsely attributed to Ponting.
“I think it’s terribly unfair to have exposed the Australian cheating,” Cleese wrote on X in reaction to the fake quotes. “Much better to sweep it under the carpet. Then they can go on doing it. “After all, it helps them win matches and that’s what really matters.”
Cleese’s post was prompted by an X account that has repeatedly pushed viral rumours about international cricket and the IPL. The bogus remarks, published by @cricketmythos, stated: “Australian cricket is looking in a serious hole again,” before continuing: “We lost that Test series against South Africa, and now Usman Khawaja has re ignited that infamous sandpaper saga again. What was the need of all this? What happened was past, there is no use to push the facts again & again. “This could possibly trigger a massive collapse. David Warner is talking everything openly in public, ex cricketers are talking, even Pat Cummins looked under immense pressure. That was totally unnecessary from Khawaja.”
The controversy sits in the wake of claims in Khawaja’s autobiography Sabr. In the book, Khawaja alleges that during the 2018 Tour of South Africa, every player in the Australian dressing room knew about a plan to tamper with the ball using sandpaper.
That tour ended with Cameron Bancroft being caught using sandpaper to alter the ball, and a Cricket Australia investigation resulted in him receiving a nine month ban. Former captain Steve Smith and retired opener David Warner were each handed 12 month bans.
Khawaja’s account has reopened the fallout from the 2018 scandal, drawing criticism from people inside the Australian Test sphere who have accused him of “trying to sell a book”. Cleese appeared to believe Ponting was among those taking aim at Khawaja, even though Ponting is not known to have made such comments.
One prominent figure who has spoken publicly is former Australia coach Darren Lehmann, who questioned the motivations behind the book and also challenged the idea that everyone would have known about the plan.
“I don’t think everyone would have known,” Lehmann told ABC Grandstand. “You do know ball tampering is going on because it’s been happening for 150 years. “It’s just how it’s being done, and how you would know to that extent? That’s an individual case by case, to be fair. “I can only speak to what I know, and I know ball tampering was a big part of the game of cricket. Now it is obsolete. “That doesn’t make it right either, but that’s the case, and we paid a heavy price for that.”
In Sabr, Khawaja also claims he suggested at the time that the entire playing group should share responsibility, but says more than one teammate shouted him down. Lehmann said he could not confirm that discussion occurred.
“I don’t remember that. There were two change rooms obviously, and there were meetings going on everywhere. To be perfectly honest I was in meetings with Cricket Australia a lot,” Lehmann said. “That could have been the case, I don’t know. I’m not saying yes or no to that one. There will be different points of view everywhere on this whole matter.”
Lehmann added: “Could he have said this at the time? I suppose that’s one of the things in the book. I mean, books are there to sell.”
