Eight Years On, Australia return to Sandpapergate's shadow

Australia have returned to South Africa, the land where their 2018 tour began as an Ashes winning team, packed with confidence, and ended up in humiliation, suspensions, and a reckoning about the culture of Australian cricket.

They had arrived as 4-0 Ashes winners. They left South Africa after losing the Test series 3-1, with their captain and vice-captain banned, three players sent home, and the team's reputation severely damaged.

The opening Test at Durban had seemed to offer a familiar story. Australia won by 118 runs, with Mitchell Starc taking nine wickets. But the contest was already becoming more and more hostile away from the scoreboard.

Nathan Lyon was fined for dropping the ball near AB de Villiers after his run-out, while David Warner and Quinton de Kock were involved in a heated confrontation.

Then came Newlands

 By the time the teams reached Newlands, tensions had already been brewing.

On the third day, television cameras caught Bancroft appearing to rub the ball with a small yellow item before putting it back in his pocket. What seemed to be a minor incident soon became one of cricket's biggest scandals.

Steve Smith admitted that the leadership group had talked about it. An investigation by Cricket Australia revealed that the item was sandpaper, and that Warner had come up with the plan, Bancroft carrying it out.

The punishment was swift. Smith and Warner were banned for 12 months, while Bancroft got the nine-months suspension. All three were sent home, with Tim Paine taking over as captain.

Coach Darren Lehmann was cleared of prior knowledge, but resigned, saying that he was responsible for the team's culture.

More than ball-tampering

 The scandal didn't end with the suspensions.

Australia lost the Johannesburg Test by 492 runs, and gave up the series 3-1, with South Africa being able to record their first home Test series victory over Australia in 48 years.

Cricket Australia commissioned an independent cultural review. The Ethics Centre criticised a culture of "winning without counting the costs", forcing South African cricket to confront questions far beyond one piece of sandpaper.

Eight years later

 Now, Australia return with several players who went through that extraordinary tour.

Smith, Cummins, Starc and Nathan Lyon know exactly what went down at Newlands. They'll want this series to be remembered for runs, wickets and results, not controversy.

But when the caravan reaches Cape Town again, the past may prove impossible to escape.