Ball-tampering scandal: Dave Warner’s conference said little
IN fairness, David Warner was mentally knackered. But he offered very little apart from accepting “full responsibility” nine times in 11 minutes.
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IT was 11 minutes and nine seconds of nothing. Just a pre-written apology, some tears and remorse.
He said sorry eight times and accepted “full responsibility” nine times.
A shattered Dave Warner walked into his press conference yesterday and declared: “I am here to talk about the part I played in this,” then proceeded to dead bat every question that came his way.
Had the sledging of his wife Candice earlier in the tour contributed? “I’m here to take full responsibility of my actions.”
Who else was involved in the ball tampering? “I’m here today to accept full responsibility. It’s inexcusable.”
Were you the orchestrator? “I’m here to take full responsibility. It’s extremely regrettable.”
In fairness, he was mentally smashed. As wife Candice later said: “He’s such an emotional wreck and I think he was sitting there hearing words but not being able to process.”
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We kept firing questions. Had he ball-tampered before? “I’m here to accept my responsibility for my part that I played.”
Do you feel as though you’re being made a scapegoat? “I’m here to speak about myself, and take responsibility for the part I played.”
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WARNER: ‘I apologise for my part’
Whereas Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft won sympathy for their apologies, Warner was slammed on social media.
He’d had an extra 48 hours to prepare but gave us nothing.
Later Warner tried to explain himself on Twitter — and apologised for all his apologies.
“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,” he said.
“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.
“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.”