David Warner press conference leaves more questions than answers

DAVID Warner’s press conference quickly became a “disaster” when he was called out for avoiding the elephant in the room.

DAVID Warner took responsibility for his involvement in Australia’s ball tampering scandal but a glaring silence echoed louder than any apology he made.

A Cricket Australia review found Warner was the mastermind behind the plot to cheat, revealing he told Cameron Bancroft how to use sandpaper on the ball and even showed the 25-year-old how to do it.

There were suggestions Warner may have implicated more teammates in the scandal at today’s press conference in Sydney so that he avoided being cast as the primary scapegoat.

However, he avoided all questions about whether more people were involved, prompting widespread anger among fans on social media.

Warner regularly deflected when asked if other players or members of the Aussie camp were aware of what was going on, sticking to his script about only speaking up to accept responsibility for his role in the controversy.

“As I said, I’m here to take full responsibility for the part I played in this. It’s extremely regrettable. I’m very sorry. I really just want to move on from this,” he said to one question — a sentiment he repeated several times.

“You haven’t answered the question,” one journalist said after another indirect answer.

A reporter yelled out “Why won’t you answer questions?” as Warner left the room.

The 31-year-old also refused to answer when asked if this was the first time he had ever tampered with the ball.

That was an unmitigated disaster. David Warner just dumped Cricket Australia right in it.. #SandpaperGate

— Stuart Henderson (@HendersStu) March 31, 2018

David Warner media conf. was disgracefully handled. Whoever instructed him to avoid answering pertinent questions has only IMFLAMED this issue. If was legal advice-it was POOR advice. @TenNewsSydney @tensporttv @channeltennews #cricket #ICC #rsavaus

— Bernie Coen (@berniecoen) March 31, 2018

Journos: "whose idea was it?" "who took the sandpaper out" "why won't you answer the question??!" ... Warner exits the room https://t.co/VXDCajvD7D

— Lebo Diseko (@lebo_diseko) March 31, 2018

Warner | war-nuh |
(expression):
"Doing a Warner": to leave more questions than answers.#Warner #CricketAustralia pic.twitter.com/ouxaFRGNPg

— Michael Smyth (@MichaelSmyth_) March 31, 2018

Who’s advising David Warner?

— Nick McArdle (@nickmcardlefox) March 31, 2018

I might have this wrong. But I think David Warner is there to take responsibility for his part in what happened on day three of the Cape Town Test.

— Richard Hinds (@rdhinds) March 31, 2018

Later on Saturday afternoon Warner took to Twitter to outline why he constantly dodged questions about who else was involved.

1/3 I know there are unanswered questions and lots of them. I completely understand. In time i will do my best to answer them all. But there is a formal CA process to follow.

— David Warner (@davidwarner31) March 31, 2018

2/3 I am taking advice to make sure I properly comply with that process and answer all questions in the proper place and at the proper time.

— David Warner (@davidwarner31) March 31, 2018

3/3 I should have mentioned that in my press conference I’m sorry for not making it clearer. With so much at stake for my family and cricket I have to follow this process properly. I think that’s fair.

— David Warner (@davidwarner31) March 31, 2018

Some cricket fans acknowledged Warner was on a hiding to nothing when asked whose idea it was to ball tamper and who was complicit in it.

Smith and Bancroft were both asked about Warner’s involvement during their press conferences on Thursday night and both refused to throw him under the bus. They repeatedly said they had nobody else to blame but themselves and were intent on owning their mistakes.

Earlier on Saturday, former Aussie fast bowler Jeff Thomson said it would be “un-Australian” for Warner to dob in his teammates. If he dragged others into the mix it would look like he was shifting the blame and he would be crucified, but for keeping other people out of his confession and focusing only on his role, Warner copped a barrage of criticism.

He was in a no-win situation and has been judged far more harshly than Smith and Bancroft despite giving similar answers.

Bancroft, Smith and Warner press conferences.
All dressed identically, all sorry, all 'will regret for rest of their lives.'
But none revealed what happened, why they did it and whether other players involved.

— John Etheridge (@JohnSunCricket) March 31, 2018

If Warner says no one else was involved- hanged.
If he says others were involved - hanged.
Untenable position.

— Rhys Muldoon (@rhysam) March 31, 2018

David Warner and Steve Smith essentially had the same press conference. They apologised, said basically nothing about the incident and vowed to be better.

One of them is being heralded as a hero. The other gets this shit assumed of him.

Sports media is a joke. https://t.co/2xU6U04hje

— shaboogen (@shaboogen) March 31, 2018

Warner fears his international career may be over because of his role in the scandal.

“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,” he said.

Asked if retirement was an option, Warner said: “That’s something that I will continue to sit down with my family and weigh up all my considerations before I make any decisions.”

Warner cut short the press conference when asked if he was being singled out as the mastermind of the scandal.

“It’s tough for me to talk about my thought space given the circumstances that happened in Durban but I am here to take full responsibility for my actions for what happened on day three at Newlands in Cape Town,” he said.

“I’m extremely sorry and I really regret that.”

Originally published as David Warner press conference leaves more questions than answers