The four bowlers have issued a statement with regards to their stand on the same issue, clarifying that they didn't know that a foreign substance was taken onto the field to apply on the ball to help it move for a little more time.

 

In the statement, the bowlers in a joint statement addressing the Australian public said, "We pride ourselves on our honesty. So it’s been disappointing to see that our integrity has been questioned by some journalists and past players in recent days in regard to the Cape Town Test of 2018."

 

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They said that they have answered several questions about the same but they are compelled to do so after the recent turn of events, putting the key facts across.

 

"We did not know a foreign substance was taken onto the field to alter the condition of the ball until we saw the images on the big screen at Newlands And to those who, despite the absence of evidence, insist that ‘we must have known’ about the use of a foreign substance simply because we are bowlers, we say this: 'The umpires during that Test match, Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth, both very respected and experienced umpires, inspected the ball after the images surfaced on the TV coverage and did not change it because there was no sign of damage.'

 

"We respectfully request an end to the rumour-mongering and innuendo. It has gone on too long and it is time to move on," they signed off.