TL;DR
- Darren Lehmann faces daily harassment from English supporters due to the 2018 Sandpaper-gate incident.
- Lehmann admits the ongoing criticism impacts mental health but praises Smith, Warner, and Bancroft's resilience.
- He notes Steve Smith endures significantly worse abuse from English fans than he does.
- Lehmann criticizes some Barmy Army members for excessive drinking and abusive behavior.
The incident happened more than seven years ago.
Darren Lehmann, a former Australian Test cricketer and coach, has revealed the ongoing daily harassment he endures from English supporters stemming from the notorious 2018 'Sandpaper-gate' incident that occurred in Cape Town, South Africa.
“You copy it every day,” Lehmann revealed on ABC Sport—despite the fact England wasn’t even involved in the match.
“Yesterday (at Perth Stadium) I would have copped it maybe twenty or thirty times, obviously we made a mistake but we paid the price—it borders on abuse.”
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The 55-year-old, currently offering expert analysis for the ABC throughout the ongoing Ashes Series, further elaborated on the psychological impact of relentless criticism. He also conveyed his admiration for how the three Australian cricketers central to the controversy have successfully revived their professional paths following suspensions ranging from 9 to 12 months.
“It’s not great for your mental health to be perfectly honest,” Lehmann admitted.
“But the way Smith, Warner and Bancroft have come out the other side, that’s been exceptional, I’m really proud of the way they’ve handled it.”
Lehmann admitted that despite still facing daily criticism, it doesn't measure up to the constant barrage Steve Smith, Australia's acting captain, endures from a vocal minority of English supporters.
“It’s eight years ago and you try and move on as best you can, but he (Steve Smith) is still playing every day, so it would a lot worse for him, the abuse he gets,” Lehmann said.
“In England they just don’t forget, it’s like they’ve never done anything wrong in their life.
“The Barmy Army should be better than that, and most of them are—it’s only the ones who drink too much and carry on like pork chops.”