 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Australia batsman David Warner has been ordered to front up to Sydney's suburban cricket grounds to play club-grade cricket after failing to show up for his Randwick Petersham side on the weekend.
The suspension is the latest in a long line of indiscretions for the left-hander this year following a Twitter war-of-words with two Australian sports journalists and a punch on England batsman Joe Root during Australia's failed Champions Trophy campaign.
The hotheaded 26-year-old was expected to debut for Randwick on Saturday, but pulled out, citing a need to hit the nets for some practice.
Warner, who posted a photo of himself in boxing gloves with a fitness trainer on Twitter on Saturday, was spotted the same day at a horse racing meeting at Sydney's Randwick racecourse, according to local media reports.
Warner was hauled before Andrew Johns, chief executive of Cricket New South Wales, on Tuesday to explain the no-show.
"Cricket NSW reinforced that its expectation, as well as players' contractual obligation, remains that individuals play grade cricket when fitness and state commitments permit," the state governing body said in a statement on its website (www.cricketnsw.com.au).
Warner was given a suspended one-match ban, meaning he would miss either a Sheffield Shield match or a domestic one-day fixture for New South Wales for another offence, but also ordered to turn up for Randwick for the following two Saturdays, and a third if his state one-day commitments permitted.
The 22-Test old lefthander would also have to make two visits to other grade cricket clubs to promote a state government campaign to discourage people from drink-driving, the statement said.
Warner was left out of Australia's limited overs squads touring India for a Twenty20 international and a seven-match One-Day series starting Sunday.
Image: David Warner
Photographs: Paul Gilham/Getty Images