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‘Counsel made offensive comments': David Warner withdraws bid to overturn leadership ban with 800-word Instagram post
On the eve of Australia's second Test against the West Indies, Warner said he had withdrawn his application to the review panel because he was not prepared to subject his family or teammates to "further trauma and disruption".
Australia opener David Warner in a six-slide post on Instagram announced that he has withdrawn his appeal to overturn the lifetime captaincy ban slapped on him by Cricket Australia, saying "some things are more important than cricket." Warner was banned from leadership in Australian cricket for his involvement in the ball-tampering saga in Cape Town, South Africa in 2018. Among three cricketers who were punished - Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft being the other two - the left-hander got the harshest punishment.
Steve Smith was also banned for a year and from leadership roles for three years. Bancroft was banned for nine months and from leadership roles for an additional year. Both Smith and Bancroft have spoken publicly about 'sandpapergate' but Warner has kept his counsel.
Governing body Cricket Australia set up an independent process for players and staff seeking to review long-term bans, allowing Warner to request his life sanction be overturned by an independent three-person panel.
On the eve of Australia's second Test against the West Indies, Warner said he had withdrawn his application to the review panel because he was not prepared to subject his family or teammates to "further trauma and disruption".
"Regrettably, I have no practical alternative at this point in time but to withdraw my application," the 36-year-old said in a post on social media on Wednesday. "I am not prepared to subject my family or my teammates to further trauma and disruption by accepting a departure from the way in which my application should be dealt with pursuant to the Code of Conduct.
"Some things are more important than cricket. They want to conduct a public spectacle to, in the panel's words, have a 'cleansing'. I am not prepared for my family to be the washing machine for cricket's dirty laundry," Warner wrote.
In the almost 800-word statement, Warner cited "offensive and unhelpful comments" made by counsel assisting the three-person panel.
Cricket Australia (CA) said it was disappointed with the outcome but respected Warner's decision.
"Our intention was to give David the opportunity to demonstrate why his lifetime leadership ban should be varied at an independent hearing and we amended our Code of Conduct accordingly," a CA spokesperson said.
"We supported David's wish for these discussions to be heard behind closed doors."
Warner said counsel assisting the review panel had concocted an "irregular procedure" which would turn his case into a public spectacle.
He said he had requested the panel revisit their procedural decision last week but on Wednesday the panel responded with a "dismissive rejection of the substantive matters".
"It appears that the panel ... is instead determined to conduct a public lynching," added Warner.
Warner last month welcomed the chance to apply to the panel but also criticised CA for taking months to set up the process.
Meanwhile, with regular Test captain Pat Cummins injured, Smith will lead Australia against West Indies at Adelaide Oval.
(With agency inputs)
