‘The Test’, a docuseries following the Australian men’s cricket team in the aftermath of sandpapergate, is coming to Amazon Prime Video in March 2020.
In March 2018, Australian top order batsman Cameron Bancroft was spotted retrieving sandpaper from his underwear during a test match against South Africa in Capetown.
Bancroft had been using the sandpaper to rough-up one side of the ball in order to gain an unfair advantage over the South African batsmen. The plan was hatched by vice captain David Warner and approved by captain Steve Smith. All three were subsequently banned from international cricket – nine months for Bancroft and 12 for Smith and Warner – and coach Darren Lehmann also stepped down.
It sparked a very public fall from grace for the Australian men’s cricket team, who’d only recently pummelled England in a home Ashes series. They struggled for form over the next 12 months while their “win at all costs” mentality came under harsh scrutiny.
Watch the first trailer for ‘The Test’
Coming to Amazon Prime Video on March 12, 2020, The Test: A New Era for Australia’s Team is an eight-part series that goes behind-the-scenes as the team attempts to rebuild under new captain Tim Paine and coach Justin Langer.
Time will tell whether we care enough about these blokes to buy into the drama suggested by the trailer’s tearjerking score. But the fact that the return of Smith, Warner and Bancroft led to Australia reclaiming the Ashes on UK soil means the series will at least reach a satisfying climax. (Oh yeah, spoiler alert.)
A new trailer focusing on the lofty significance of the baggy green cap has just surfaced online. Cricket Australia is also offering Australian Cricket Family members a chance to attend the series premiere event in Sydney on Tuesday March 10.
