Australian ball-tampering saga: Ross Taylor signs sandpaper in prank

The Ross Taylor-signed sandpaper. Photo / via Twitter

In the wake of Australia's ball-tampering scandal, record-breaking New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor has inadvertently been caught signing a piece of sandpaper as part of a prank by Kiwi cricket fans.

And Barmy Army fans at the Hagley Oval test match are lapping it up.

A quartet of New Zealand fans came to the second test dressed up in Australia's test whites - accompanied with the baggy green cap, a cricket ball and some yellow sandpaper - and dubbed themselves the "Australian leadership group".

The quartet got Black Caps star Ross Taylor involved with their antics by getting him to inadvertantly sign a piece of sandpaper while out in the field.

Ross Taylor. Photo / Photosport

The Kiwi was hurriedly signing memorabilia for fans in between deliveries while positioned on the boundary.

He had just handed back a cricket ball when he unwittingly received sandpaper.

Raucous laughter can be heard when Taylor returns the sandpaper.

England fans lapped it up, tweeting on England's Barmy Army account images of the quartet, the signed yellow sandpaper as well as footage of Taylor signing it.

Ross Taylor signs a piece of sandpaper 😂👏

Posted by England's Barmy Army on Thursday, March 29, 2018

Skipper Steve Smith and his vice-captain David Warner were banned for a year and fledgeling batsman Cameron Bancroft was outed for nine months for their roles in the plot to use sandpaper to alter the ball during the third test against South Africa in Cape Town.

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Australian cricket coach Darren Lehmann said he will stand down after the fourth test against South Africa at The Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg.

The Australian leadership group has arrived. 😂 pic.twitter.com/T363zZgrWP

— England's Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) March 30, 2018

Quality. pic.twitter.com/Tdal8Dpowm

— England's Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) March 30, 2018