Warner accepts Cricket Australia sanctions

Australia
Warner

Former vice-captain David Warner has accepted the sanctions handed down by Cricket Australia as a result of his involvement in the ball tampering scandal.

The player’s union, the Australian Cricketer’s Association, had expressed the view that the lengthy bans handed to Warner as well as Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith were too harsh but all three have now accepted their fate and will not appeal.

He would wait until the eleventh hour to give his decision but Warner ultimately opted to avoid an appeal hearing that could have opened up a nasty can of worms for Australian cricket.

Warner was banned from all international cricket and Australia domestic matches, for 12 months and has been barred from holding any leadership position within the national team set up in the future.

The former vice-captain posted on Twitter: “I have today let Cricket Australia know that I fully accept the sanctions imposed on me.

“I am truly sorry for my actions and will now do everything I can to be a better person, teammate and role model.”

Warner and Smith will be eligible to return to action for Australia just one month before the 2019 World Cup, which you can follow live using a VPN, in case you’re in a country that doesn’t broadcast (or worse, blocks) cricket on TV.

The Cricket Australia investigation into the plot to apply sandpaper to the ball during the third Test against South Africa concluded that vice-captain was the mastermind of the plan.

Warner allegedly conceived the plot and convinced Bancroft to implement it while the skipper Smith was aware of the plan and did not put a stop to it.

Bancroft received a nine month suspension for his part in the plot while Warner has been vilified for his role in the scandal.

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