David Warner, former Australia vice-captain, held an emotional press conference today, a day after returning from South Africa, after being suspended by Cricket Australia for a year, as the investigations revealed that it was him, who came up with the idea of ball tampering during the Cape Town Test.
The press conference was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Warner stuck to the script given to him and refused to answer many questions during the whole process. Warner accepted responsibility for playing a role in the episode and apologized to supporters, CA, Cricket South Africa and his family.
He declined to answer questions about how many other members of the team were aware of the plot, whether he had tampered with the ball on previous occasions, whether his relationship with the rest of the team had deteriorated, or whether he was being made a scapegoat for the affair by CA, who handed him the heaviest penalty of all three players.
Later, on his official Twitter account @davidwarner31, Warner clarified why he refused to answer the some specific questions.
He tweeted, “1/3 I know there are unanswered questions and lots of them. I completely understand. In time i will do my best to answer them all. But there is a formal CA process to follow.”
1/3 I know there are unanswered questions and lots of them. I completely understand. In time i will do my best to answer them all. But there is a formal CA process to follow.
— David Warner (@davidwarner31) March 31, 2018
“2/3 I am taking advice to make sure I properly comply with that process and answer all questions in the proper place and at the proper time.”
2/3 I am taking advice to make sure I properly comply with that process and answer all questions in the proper place and at the proper time.
— David Warner (@davidwarner31) March 31, 2018
“3/3 I should have mentioned that in my press conference I’m sorry for not making it clearer. With so much at stake for my family and cricket I have to follow this process properly. I think that’s fair.”
3/3 I should have mentioned that in my press conference I’m sorry for not making it clearer. With so much at stake for my family and cricket I have to follow this process properly. I think that’s fair.
— David Warner (@davidwarner31) March 31, 2018
Warner, the captain Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft have until Tuesday to inform CA of whether they wish to take the matter to a hearing before an independent commissioner, and all are understood to have retained legal counsel while weighing this up.
"It is heart-breaking to know that I will not be taking the field with my team-mates I love and respect and that I have let down," Warner said. "Right now it is hard to know what comes next, but first and foremost is the wellbeing of my family.”
(With inputs from espncricinfo.com)