David Warner fails to deliver as key questions remain unanswered over Aussie ball-tampering scandal
IF it was a battle of press conferences David Warner lost, badly. With the chance of a few extra days to gauge what was happening, the Australian public expected more from him.
Cricket
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IF it was a battle of press conferences David Warner lost, badly.
Unlike the respective Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith press conferences, Warner’s seemed rehearsed and restrained.
The buzz phrase was obviously that he took “full responsibility”. Which he repeated. Again. And again.
CRYING WARNER: Scandal will haunt me forever
SAYERS IMPACT: Newcomers boosts Aussies late on
PAINE WAY: New Aussies free of verbals, provocation
DON’T DO IT, STEVE: Ban appeal shouldn’t be on agenda
CRADDOCK: Warner to tell the full story
ANALYSIS: Smith pushes through pain barrier
LEHMANN: The moment that forced him out
VACANCY: The candidates for Lehmann’s role
WARNER: ‘I apologise for my part’
There did not seem the rawness that we saw with his fellow fallen teammates.
Perhaps Warner had time to digest what was coming? After all it took him a few days to front up.
He wasn’t emotionally ready when he landed with children and wife in tow from South Africa late on Thursday night. And that is more than fair enough.
But with the chance of a few days to gauge what was happening we – the Australian public – expected more.
In fact his tweet sent about an hour post press-conference was more revealing and telling.
In a three-pronged tweet Warner wrote that he needs to let the process run its course and will eventually spill all.
He needed to open the press conference with exactly that.
Warner did have an opportunity to put some things to rest. The most eye-catching moment was when he failed to say that he has never ball-tampered before.
He could have and should have put an end to any thought that this was an ongoing issue within the Australian ranks by simple saying, “no”. Surely this now needs to be explored further by Cricket Australia.
He also failed to say that the ball tampering was limited to just he, Steve Smith and Cam Bancroft. Again given the notion that there were more people involved which would send shockwaves to an already rattled team in South Africa.
If this is true, then Warner should be applauded for not throwing his teammates under the bus in public. If it was just the trio, then Warner should have owned up to his EXACT role, rather than using am empty phrase.
Wife Candice was rightly in the room. She was emotional and the criticism of her appearance is unfair. It is his wife and his support network. He will rely heavily on her for the next 12 months.
One senses Warner was just warming up for the appeals process. Some were tipping he was going to explode but now we can expect plenty of fireworks should Warner appeal his ban come Thursday.
Questions? We still have a few.