Why David Warner just can’t win

David Warner, embroiled in drama not of his making, has critics pointing from the high moral ground. They aren’t for changing.

David Warner walks off after scoring a century at Pratten Park, Ashfield on Saturday. Picture: Jenny Evans

Hypocrite. The instigator. The sledger. Crap bloke. Attack dog. Gives it, but can’t take it. Left-hander. Slogger. Have I covered them all?

David Warner, embroiled in another controversy, has the “Never Warners” sledging from the slips cordon and pointing from the high moral ground. They have plenty of material and most aren’t for changing, no ­matter what the circumstances.

Did you miss it? Don’t know how you could. It was bigger than Winx. Warner walked off during a grade cricket match over the weekend. The batsman was ­visibly upset about comments made by Jason Hughes, the brother of Phillip, while he was batting. Those who saw him in that few minutes said he was close to tears. Wests, the opposition side, ­allowed him to continue after he recomposed himself. Now there is a terrible controversy brewing over what was said.

There are claims it was about Phillip Hughes. The Hughes family say it had nothing to do with Phillip, maybe Warner misinterpreted it. They are adamant and told The Australian so. They have moved on with their lives.

That sorry business is the concern of those involved. Cricket’s what we’re concerned with.

The top secret cultural review into Australian cricket is released today. There was a lot for the ­Ethics Centre to mine, but only one thing is of interest and that’s whether the players and coach will be the only people who pay a price for what happened in South Africa. Warner keeps paying the price.

Candice Warner defended her husband yesterday. She sees his torment up close. He has defended her and she him. They have each other’s back and are as solid a couple as you would hope to meet, but that’s not our business.

Did anyone notice Warner scored 157? It was his second ­century in grade cricket this year. He made a 155no in the first game for Randwick Petersham.

The on/off field incident happened early in his innings. He was in the 20s. It’s typical of him to ­answer with the bat and it says something about the situation that should unfold in the next months. That’s the business.

Warner’s wife, Candice Falzon, watches her husband during his grade cricket match. Picture: Luke Drew

You need to know one thing. You might slam the door in Warner’s face but next time you open it he will be standing there with bat in hand and a swag full of runs.

Too soon, you say, go away, do this, do that. Jump through hoops. Prove your tears are real. Cry again.

Next time you open the door there he is. Did this. Did that. Still got the bat. Bought a bigger swag to store all the runs.

He’s not going away, no matter how much the Never Warnerswant him to, but he’s not coming back as soon as some would want him to either.

Here’s a “David’s advocate” view of the sorry business on ­Saturday. Warner found himself in a situation not of his making and he walked away. Maybe too soon, but he is on a hair trigger. He’s been told to change and he changed. Just like he did when Cricket Australia asked him to tone it down in 2015. Out came The Reverend. Scripture spilled from his mouth where once had been scorn only. Just like he changed when the team asked him to bring back The Bull in 2017-18.

Jason Hughes during the game on Saturday. Picture: Jenny Evans

Warner can’t win. His presence in grade cricket the previous weekend prompted a first-person piece on sledging by an opposition player. It was a cute story, but you had to parse it carefully to discover that Warner was silent through the day except when he told his teammates to tone it down a bit.

Warner’s re-entry to the Australian team is a live issue. He met recently with Justin Langer who wants to take the temperature of the situation. There’s tensions with teammates who want to hold him responsible for all their problems. Some issues will resolve themselves, some might linger.

There’s a school of thought that they all have to be brought into a room to sort out their differences. There’s a view at the selection table that he just has to come back. Look at the top six without Warner and Smith. It’s a war zone.

There’s a rising tide of opinion that the bans should be modified. You wouldn’t blame the broadcasters who recently paid $1.2 billion for the rights, hoping the two best batsmen in the game would be allowed back for the first Test against India in December. It might be too soon and a difficult backflip by Cricket Australia, but maybe it could work in a reduction of sentence because of good behaviour? The bans should, at least, have allowed them to play Shield and BBL.

What if they played the series against Sri Lanka at the back end of the summer?

Hey, at least everyone is talking about club cricket. There were more people at Warner and Smith’s first Sydney games than there were at the domestic 50-over match that weekend.

Talk about unintended consequences.