CAPE TOWN – Controversial
Australian opening batsman David Warner has been cleared to play the second
Test against the Proteas in Port
Elizabeth amidst a new video being released showing
him swearing at Quinton de Kock.
The
International Cricket Council confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that match
referee Jeff Crowe has handed down a sanction of three demerit points and a
fine of 75 percent of Warner’s match fee for a Level 2 breach of the code of
conduct, which the player has accepted.
“Warner
was found to have breached Article 2.2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players
and Player Support Personnel, which relates to ‘conduct that brings the game
into disrepute’, following an altercation with South Africa player Quinton de
Kock on Sunday near the team dressing rooms, which was captured on CCTV,” the
ICC said in a statement.
“In addition to this, three demerit points have been added
to Warner’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence since the
introduction of the revised Code in September 2016.
“Level 2 breaches carry a fine of 50 to 100 percent of the
match fee and/or up to two suspension points, equating to three or four demerit
points.”
The ICC said
that De Kock had “yet to respond” to the Level 1 charge for his involvement in the
altercation.
But the upshot of it all is that the Australian vice-captain Warner will line up for the second Test at St George’s Park on Friday despite his confrontation with Proteas wicket-keeper De Kock near the Kingsmead change-rooms on Sunday during the first Test, which the visitors won by 118 runs.
In addition, Fox Sports in Australia aired a video overnight, where Warner is heard calling De Kock “a f***ing sook” – a sook is a derogatory slang word in Australia meaning someone is a soft or timid person – as the players made their way off the field at tea on day four at Kingsmead.
Both team captains Faf du Plessis and Steve Smith said personal things were said between Warner and De Kock, although the Australian captain has maintained that his side never got personal with De Kock.
* This story has been updated.
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