Sandpaper made Australia the story in 2018 while South Africa’s achievement faded into irrelevance
In 2018, Australia’s cricket team became the focus of global attention after a ball‑tampering incident involving sandpaper, which dominated headlines despite the side’s impressive Test win. The controversy sparked widespread criticism and national disappointment, while South Africa’s concurrent cricket accomplishment received little coverage, highlighting the disparity in media attention between the two nations in the sporting world.