Former Australian fast bowler James Pattinson has accused Usman Khawaja of using Sandpapergate to sell books, while Michael Clarke defended the retired opener against claims he has revived the scandal for financial gain. Khawaja’s autobiography, Sabr, has reignited the dispute over who knew about Australia’s use of sandpaper during the 2018 tour of South Africa.He alleged that knowledge extended beyond the three banned players, which has been backed by David Warner. Cricket Australia has said it will not reopen its investigation.Pattinson, who played 21 Tests for Australia, has questioned why Khawaja had waited until the release of his book to give his account.’It’s a hard one, I wasn’t part of the team back then, I wasn’t even contracted, so it’s hard for me to comment on it,’ Pattinson told SEN.’I suppose it’s probably just the timing of it, when he [came] out and said all this in his book, he’s trying to sell a few books. Usman Khawaja’s autobiography has reignited debate over Australia’s 2018 ball-tampering scandal James Pattinson, pictured with wife Kayla, has questioned the timing of Khawaja’s Sandpapergate revelations Michael Clarke has defended Khawaja, saying he doesn’t think he made the claims for money’I thought maybe, potentially, if he felt strongly about it at the time, he should have said a bit more at the time and made it clear.’Pattinson said the fallout from the scandal had had a wide impact.’Obviously it happened a long time ago and a lot of people went through a lot of crap times to be honest,’ he said.’Not just the people who were there, but obviously the public watching it, and then Cricket Australia.’So it’s obviously something that I did not want to be brought back up again.’The former Victorian quick also criticised Khawaja over separate comments about ball-tampering involving Victoria. ‘I was more intrigued with the one where he said about Victoria with the ball tampering,’ Pattinson said.’I think he is just using it as an excuse because he couldn’t make a run against us at the MCG.’ Pattinson said Khawaja was ‘trying to sell a few books’ Khawaja says his account is intended to encourage collective responsibility for the scandalClarke, however, rejected suggestions Khawaja had disclosed his version of Sandpapergate for a financial windfall.The former Australian captain drew on his own experience of publishing an autobiography, explaining that an author’s initial payment was agreed before sales incentives came into play.’At the end of the day, that’s what happens. Players retire… I wrote my autobiography. I know what it’s like and I’ve heard Usman’s quotes as well. Usman’s right,’ Clarke said on the Beyond 23 podcast.’When I did my autobiography, unless things have changed, you get paid a fee to write a book. On top of that there are incentives. But you have to sell so many books for those incentives to take place.’Usman did this book three years ago, he knew how much money he was going to get. No matter what he put in it, that money doesn’t change.’Yes, you get paid for a book, you aren’t writing a book for free… I don’t think he has done this for money.’Khawaja addressed the criticism himself in a social media post on Tuesday, saying he doubted sales would reach the threshold required for additional royalty payments.’Before you even start to think about royalties and book sales, I have to sell so many books for royalties to kick in,’ he said. Mitchell Starc has reiterated that he did not know a substance had been taken onto the field to alter the ball’I don’t think I will ever get there. And even if it does, it’s pennies.’With all due respect guys, I played cricket for a long time. I am very fortunate. I don’t need the money.’In Sabr, Khawaja alleges sandpaper was used during the second Test in Port Elizabeth, before Bancroft was caught on camera tampering with the ball during the following Test in Cape Town. He also alleges an unnamed member of Australia’s coaching staff encouraged Bancroft to do more work on the ball, and says Cricket Australia never interviewed him during its investigation.Smith and Warner received 12-month bans following the scandal, while Bancroft was suspended for nine months.Khawaja has argued the team should have accepted collective responsibility rather than leaving those three players to carry the punishment. He has also disputed suggestions he simply stayed silent until he had a book to promote.Khawaja said he wanted to speak publicly in 2018 but Smith persuaded him against it. He says he raised collective accountability again in 2021, before eventually publishing his account after retirement.Warner has endorsed Khawaja’s version as ‘100 per cent accurate’ and described Cricket Australia’s investigation as ‘rushed and botched’.However, Mitchell Starc reiterated on Tuesday that he did not know a substance had been taken onto the field to tamper with the ball.Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon previously issued a joint statement in 2021 denying they knew a foreign substance had been taken onto the field before the footage appeared on the big screen at Newlands.Starc stood by that stance when questioned this week.’Obviously there are differing opinions of eight years ago,’ he said.’We were heavily grilled through the process at the time and since. I won’t speak on behalf of the bowlers, but, from where I stand, my opinion hasn’t changed, and my recollection hasn’t changed from what we said in 2021.’We weren’t aware anything was taken on the field to be tampered with. We saw it on the big screen in Cape Town.’Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said the governing body remained comfortable with its original findings, which identified Smith, Warner and Bancroft as having prior knowledge of the plan.’There are specific details in his book that contradict the versions that have been provided by others,’ Greenberg told SEN.’We don’t see any compelling reason to open the investigation or revisit this again. I don’t think there’s anything that can be gained from that.’