BREAKING: Warner leadership ban lifted
Warner ban lifted in secret hearing held last week
READERS: GIDEON IS OUT THE BACK WORKING ON AN ANALYSIS PIECE TO FOLLOW (I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT).
HERE IS THE NEWS THAT’S JUST DROPPED.
David Warner has had his lifetime leadership ban lifted by an independent panel after a secret hearing last Thursday.
The panel was convened by Cricket Australia’s Conduct Commission and heard evidence from Warner for over an hour while also accepting testimonies from Pat Cummins, Greg Chappell, Trent Copeland, Kane Williamson, Lisa Sthaleker and Cricket NSW.
Warner attempted to get the ban lifted in November 2022, but withdrew after the independent commissioners insisted on a public hearing and reserved the right to call witnesses.
The player who received the ban for his role in the Sandpaper scandal did not want the distraction during the Test summer and withdrew his application.
This time the process was kept in house but the commissioners insisted the findings be made pubic.
“Mr Warner’s conduct and behaviour since the imposition of the sanction has been excellent and he appears to have made a substantial change, one example of which is that he no longer sledges or tries to provoke the opposing team,” a statement released by panellists Alan Sullivan KC, Jeff Gleeson KC and Jane Seawright on Friday read.
“The Review Panel is more than satisfied that Mr Warner will not engage in any conduct similar to that which occurred in 2018 which resulted in the sanction and that the sanction has thus had the relevant quality of specific deterrence.”
The panel noted “the respectful and contrite tone of his (Warner’s) responses, as well as the content impressed the Review Panel and led it to the unanimous view that he was sincere and genuine in acknowledging responsibility for the conduct and in his statement that he had extreme remorse for his conduct”.
Warner’s leadership potential was also highlighted: “the contribution that Mr Warner has made, and can make in the future, towards the development of young cricketers in Australia if they were given the opportunity to be led by Mr Warner, his important continuing role in fostering interest in cricket especially with the South Asian community in Australia and generally.”
Sydney Thunder put out a statement acknowledging the ruling but stopped short of announcing Warner as replacement for their incumbent, Chris Green.
Warner recently put his hand up to return to the Test team if needed, but there is almost no chance of his generous offer being accepted.
I can hear Gideon tapping away out there, but if you need more to read while you are waiting, the review panel’s findings can be found here.
It has always amused me that Warner came up with a plan to rough up the ball using sandpaper, a substance men have used for hundreds of years to make things smooth. More pertinently, given the twin preoccupations of Cricket et al (the et al being largely Australian 80s music), where is the analysis showing how David Warner’s career is best understood by reference to the songs of Dave Warner (from the suburbs). Is he just a suburban boy? Is it a mug’s game? Inquiring minds need to know.
About time. He may not be everyone’s favourite, but certainly did not deserve a lifetime ban.
If he did, then so too did the board of directors for the appalling way they managed the entire SA tour and scapegoated Warner, Smith and Bancroft.