Warner stays silent on previous ball-tampering
David Warner has refused to rule out retirement and pledged to do anything he can to win back respect from the Australian public in a tearful media conference in Sydney yesterday morning.
The former Australian vicecaptain apologised to team-mates, cricket fans, the South African team and his family following the balltampering scandal in Cape Town last Saturday, admitting he ‘‘let [them] down badly’’.
Warner was pressed on whether he had ever been in involved in ball-tampering before, but chose to not confirm or deny.
‘‘I’m here to accept my responsibility for the part I played in day three of [the] Newlands, Cape Town, test,’’ Warner said.
He and former captain Steve Smith were banned from international and domestic cricket for a year, while Cameron Bancroft, who applied sandpaper to the ball, has been banned for nine months by Cricket Australia.
In an emotional media conference – two days after arriving back in Sydney – the cricketer apologised to all Australians, whether fans of the sport or not, saying his actions had damaged the country’s reputation.
‘‘I take full responsibility . . . it is [a decision] that I will regret for as long as I live,’’ Warner said.
‘‘I hope in time I can repay all you’ve given me and earn your respect again,’’ he continued, with the support of his wife Candice, who sat at the back of the room in tears.
‘‘In the back of my mind, I suppose there is a tiny ray of hope that I may one day be given the privilege of playing for my country again, but I am resigned to the fact that that may never happen.’’
Warner provided few answers to questions the Australian public want to know. When asked whether he was considering retirement, the left-handed opening batsman refused to outline his future plans.
‘‘That’s something that I will continue to sit down with my family and weigh up all of my consideration before I make any decisions,’’ Warner said.
Warner has reportedly fallen out with certain team-mates and it is unclear whether or not these relationships can be repaired.
‘‘We’re mates, we have grown up with each other, we’ve played on the field for a long time with each other,’’ Warner said. ‘‘It’s going to be really tough not partake in the next 12 months, not just with the rest of the team, but with Steve and Cameron, because we made a decision that is inexcusable and extremely regrettable.
‘‘I really regret what happened. I just wish I could be there on the field with them. It’s one thing I’m really going to miss this next 12 months.’’
The 31-year-old said he and other players did not underestimate how severe the public backlash would be in the aftermath of the incident.
‘‘I’m not surprised at all,’’ Warner said. ‘‘We let our country down. We made a bad decision. I played my part in that. It’s going to take a long time to earn that respect back from the Australian public.’’
Asked whether Quinton de Kock’s remarks about his wife and other taunts from sections of the South African crowds played a part in his decision to engage in ball tampering, Warner said: ‘‘It’s tough for me to talk about where my thought space was on that day given the circumstances that happened in Durban, but I’m here to take full responsibility of my actions of the part that I played on day three in Newlands.
‘‘I’ll do everything I can to earn that respect back from the Australian public.’’
It’s going to be really tough not partake in the next 12 months . . .