Ashes 2019: England fans celebrate David Warner and Cameron Bancroft dismissals by waving sandpaper

Australian openers made an unsuccessful return to Test cricket by losing early wickets to the delight of the Edgbaston crowd that has not forgotten the infamous sandpaper scandal

David Warner and Cameron Bancroft experienced a nightmare return to the Australia Test side as they were both dismissed by Stuart Broad during the opening stages of the Ashes series against England.

Having served 12- and nine-month bans respectively for their roles in the Sandpaper scandal last year, the Australian openers were greeted with a chorus of boos by the partisan Edgbaston crowd, who ripped up one of the most raucous opening-day atmospheres in recent Ashes memory.

Many supporters ensured they arrived at the Worcestershire County Cricket Ground prepared, as they waved sandpaper in the direction of the pair on their way to the crease.

And the home fans did not have to wait long before they were appealing for wickets, with Broad having Warner caught behind by Jonny Bairstow – only for the wicket not to be given and England deciding against a review.

Had captain Joe Root appealed the decision, the review would have revealed a slight edge on the ball on the way through to the wicketkeeper, but Warner was able to breathe a sigh of relief. England did then appeal an lbw shout in Broad’s next over, but the referral revealed that the ball was going over the wicket and Warner was off the hook once again.

But it was third time lucky for Broad as he trapped the left-handed opener lbw for two off 14 balls, and as Warner immediately walked off the pitch, fans responded with a wave of sandpaper sheets waved high above them in celebration.

Their mood was not dampened in the slightest either when replays showed that Broad’s delivery was expected to miss the stumps, with the Australian deciding against a review.

England fans waved sandpaper to celebrate David Warner and Cameron Bancroft's dismissals (Reuters)

Four overs later, Bancroft followed after edging to Root in the slips for eight, giving Broad his second wicket of the day in only his fourth over.

The boos returned for Bancroft’s departure along with the sandpaper, but the biggest jeers were saved for the arrival of Steve Smith, the disgraced former captain who took the brunt of the reaction to the Sandpaper scandal that saw him banned for 12 months and stripped of the captaincy.

England fans did not hesitate in taunting the returning trio (Getty)

Smith and Warner had masterminded the plan to have inexperienced squad member Bancroft tamper with the ball during the third Test against South Africa in 2018, by using a piece of sandpaper to alter the ball’s surface. Bancroft was caught doing so by TV cameras, and the trio were subsequently banned from all first-class cricket and international matches until this year.