Cricket Australia board weighs into David Warner controversy by reminding players of standards of behaviour
CRICKET Australia’s board has delivered a blunt reminder to players about their on-field conduct ahead of Chairman David Peever’s arrival in Port Elizabeth.
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CRICKET Australia’s board has delivered a blunt reminder to players about their on-field conduct ahead of Chairman David Peever’s arrival in Port Elizabeth.
Following mass public criticism and condemnation from several former greats, the behaviour of Steve Smith’s team during the first Test in Durban was discussed at Friday’s board meeting.
It’s understood chief executive James Sutherland spoke to Steve Smith on the phone on Thursday, although it’s not completely out of the ordinary for the pair to speak.
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Sutherland and general manager of cricket Pat Howard were in frequent communication with team manager Gavin Dovey during the week where the spirit of cricket message passed down by the board was relayed.
David Warner has publicly apologised to Australian fans for letting them down with his stairwell blow-up with Quinton de Kock.
Chairman Peever will arrive in Port Elizabeth over the weekend to watch the second Test, and fellow board member Bob Every has been in South Africa for the whole tour so far and was around the side in the aftermath to the Durban Test.
Sutherland is expected in Cape Town around the time of the third Test, but on Friday he outlined the seriousness of the ugly events of the past week by intervening in team responsibilities — an area the board usually leaves to the Australian side on the ground.
“CA has reminded the team of the standards of behaviour expected of players representing Australia,” a statement from Sutherland read.
“Those standards are spelled out in the ICC Code of Conduct and also the Preamble to the Laws of Cricket. As the Preamble states, cricket is a game that owes much of its unique appeal to the fact that it should be played not only within its laws, but also within the Spirit of the Game.
“This includes the need to be respectful of opponents and CA expects this to be observed by players at all times.
“Unfortunately neither team met this standard in Durban. The Australian team understands the fans expect better.”
Sutherland said the fallout from David Warner’s ugly confrontation with Quinton de Kock as well as Australia’s overzealous celebration of an AB de Villiers run-out “marred” the first Test victory.
However, Cricket Australia will take no further action against Warner, happy that his penalty from the ICC of three demerit points and a $13,500 fine was sufficient given the mitigating factor of having his wife’s name brought into sledging.
Warner’s position as vice-captain was not brought into question as Sutherland praised the current leadership.
“CA supports the sanctions imposed on players from both teams by the ICC, and commends match referee Jeff Crowe for his handling of a difficult situation,” he said.
“Australia has always prided itself on taking a highly competitive approach to international cricket.
“This will not change, however, CA is confident that what occurred in Durban will remain an aberration.
“Under the period of the current team leadership, Australian players have received fewer sanctions under the ICC Code of Conduct than players from the majority of the nine top-ranked Test playing nations.
“CA is confident that the rest of the series in South Africa will be remembered for enthralling cricket played in the right spirit by both teams.”
David Warner has issued a public apology.
“I just want to apologise for the way it played out. I regret the situation that happened,” said Warner on cricket.com.
“I’m sorry for the people I may have let down, our fans and the people back home and even my family.
‘But at the end of the day when there’s a vile comment that’s made I’ll keep continuing to stick up for my family because that’s the most important thing to do.”