Candice Warner opens up on the toll the ball tampering scandal took on her husband David
CANDICE Warner has opened up on the mental anguish suffered by her husband David in the wake of the Australian cricket ball tampering scandal, saying she wouldn’t wish that level of hurt on anyone.
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DAVID Warner’s wife has detailed the significant mental toll the ball-tampering scandal has taken on the banned Test star.
Champion Ironwoman Candice Warner told Channel Nine’s Sports Sunday program that Warner has struggled with a mix of anger, regret, depression and financial stress over mortgages with no income coming in.
It’s understood Warner’s captain Steve Smith and former coach Darren Lehmann have also had their struggles over the past few months trying to deal with the magnitude of what has happened since South Africa.
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Warner and Smith have been banished from all cricket in Australia except playing for their clubs, and have been forced to turn to overseas Twenty20 competitions in a bid to stay busy and maintain a connection to the world they’ve lost.
A fortnight ago in his first match of grade cricket, Warner’s mother shed tears as he walked out to bat in front of a few hundred people at Coogee.
Warner was criticised in some quarters for celebrating a hundred, but on a deeper level it reflected the personal pain he’d been through and what it meant to have friends and family watching.
Candice Warner said her husband’s mental state was improving, but that there had been some dark days.
“It’s been tough, it’s been really tough,” Candice told Channel Nine.
“When David has his bad days they are really bad but they are few and far between now.
“He’s back playing for Randwick and he’s loving that and that’s really helping with the whole process … he played at Coogee Oval a few weeks ago and got a century and that really meant a lot to him.
“It wasn’t just a suburban century for him. That really meant a lot.
“It’s been a mix of all that (anger, regret, depression). It’s a mix of I want to be playing for my country, I’ve got no income coming in, I’ve got mortgages, I’ve got two kids.
“It was really tough, I wouldn’t wish that upon anybody.
“David misses it, there’s no doubt about that.”
Smith, Warner, Lehmann and Cameron Bancroft have full access to player support and welfare services through Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association.
Warner and Smith have both been thrust out of the cricketing bubble which has been blamed for the catastrophic decisions made in Cape Town.
However, they’ve found that after a life immersed in cricket, adjusting to the outside world can be a lonely place.
Both men have travelled to Canada and the Caribbean to get a game of cricket. Newly selected Australian Twenty20 hitter Ben McDermott told cricket.com.au how profound Warner’s influence was on him as they played alongside each other in Canada.
Smith has thrown himself into his community work focusing on mental health amongst young men and Warner recently travelled to Tasmania for community initiatives.
Lehmann will feature prominently on cricket commentary this summer for Fox Cricket and Macquarie Radio.
The former coach has been unwavering in his support of Justin Langer and the new look Australian team.