Alcohol the Root of David Warner’s problems

Australia dropped David Warner from its Champions Trophy match against New Zealand on Wednesday for attacking England’s Joe Root in a bar early on Monday.

Australia dropped David Warner from its Champions Trophy match against New Zealand on Wednesday for attacking England’s Joe Root in a bar early on Monday.

While Cricket Australia maintained it was an alleged “physical altercation,” England officials said Warner “initiated an unprovoked physical attack” in a Birmingham bar following England’s victory over Australia in their Champions Trophy match.

The ECB said it concluded Root “was in no way responsible for nor retaliated to the attack.”

Warner — one of the cornerstones of Australia’s batting — faces a hearing on a date yet to be determined and could be sent home from the tour of England.