Australia v England: first men’s cricket one-day international – live

Pat Cummins came out firing today in a press conference that lasted more than an hour without even a drinks break being called.

The Australia Test captain is not playing in this white-ball series against England but has already left his mark on the first ODI as he denied Usman Khawaja’s claims that the entire Australia team was implicated in the 2018 sandpaper scandal, describing the allegations as “complete and utter nonsense” and “100% wrong”.

Caitlin Cassidy was at Cricket NSW headquarters in Sydney as Cummins responded to Khawaja’s allegations and countless questions …

Cummins said Khawaja was a friend to him, adding he had been “grappling” over recent days as to whether their relationship was irrevocably harmed.

He said Khawaja was “100% wrong” with his claim that the whole team knew sandpaper was going out on the field, maintaining he “did not know that was happening” and “did not see anything on the ball” at the time.

‘He says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper with sandpaper. That’s complete and utter nonsense,’ Cummins said.

‘I was genuinely shocked this week when I found out Usman admitted he told Cam [Bancroft] to be careful when using sandpaper. That’s not [the] Usman that I know. It’s not the Usman that has been part of the team that’s helped rebuild the Australian cricket culture over the last eight years.

‘Usman is a friend, but friends aren’t casual with each other’s lives and reputations. In his book he’s been casual with my life and the lives of many others and, I think, Australian cricket.’