Floodsof tears but very few answers

David Warner apologised for his role in the ball-tampering incident on six occasions and resorted to the catch-phrase that he took ‘‘full responsibility’’ nine times in an emotional press conference yesterday.

But the real question in all of this is what was Warner actually apologising for?

After his showdown with the media, there came another apology. With a tsunami of criticism directed his way on social media, Warner made it clear he had to ‘‘follow the process’’ – a comment that no doubt will frustrate people even more.

Warner was genuinely contrite and the tears were real but his continual ducking and weaving of the tough questions had the fingerprints of Public Relations Management 101 all over it.

For a prolific sledger, Warner had little to say.

His remark that ‘‘I just want to move on from this’’ was absolutely the truth, but it was spoken by a man living in fantasy land.

A week after Warner, Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith conspired to tamper with a cricket ball in the third test in Cape Town, the public still have few answers. There has been a flood of tears rather than facts.

Less was more in this instance, with many increasingly suspicious of just what Warner is hiding. There was a deafening silence as he paused before answering questions, looking like a man desperate to exonerate himself.

This was an extraordinary press conference with a slightly different feeling to that of Smith’s on Thursday evening.

Entering the room with his wife Candice, who has been a central figure in the events that have transpired over the past few weeks, Warner kissed his partner before facing the music.

There was a statement read out and perhaps the most telling part of it was that he conceded he may never represent Australia again.

But the cricketing public want answers, not spin. Journalists were unable to elicit answers from Warner regarding his exact involvement in the tampering affair, who was there and whether he had engaged in it before. Then the knives came out.

As this was unfolding, Candice was an emotional mess at the back of the room. When Warner’s people signalled to a Cricket Australia media manager that enough questions had been asked, he was whisked out the back while Candice broke down.

With little news to come out of the press conference, members of the press went for the kill as he hurried away, shouting questions. ‘‘Whose idea was it?’’ ‘‘What actually happened?’’ ‘‘Why won’t you answer the question?’’

When comparing Warner’s press conference performance to Smith’s, the former captain might be in front from a public perception but was so distraught he too failed to provide crucial answers.

Warner was told to stick to a script, perhaps so he can launch legal action against Cricket Australia to appeal against his 12-month ban.

When he arrived in Sydney on Thursday night, Warner told reporters his priority was to ‘‘get my mind a bit clear to think’’.

In hindsight, that translates to: ‘‘get legal advice and memorise a get-out-of-jail sentence’’.

As much as Warner wants this saga to go away, the reality is this is just the beginning.