Australia’s vice-captain David Warner has broken his silence about the incidents on the field in the first Test and labelled the attack on his wife by South African player Quinton de Kock “vile and disgusting”.
The opener, who received a large fine and will be banned from playing if he transgresses at any time over the next two years, admits he reacted emotionally and has to try and control himself better if people use the same tactic the wicketkeeper used to upset him.
Warner also revealed that De Kock said something very slowly which was heard by him and Tim Paine but he later denied saying anything of that sort when other team members came to the scene.
“I would have liked him to actually say the comment a little bit louder instead of just muttering it under his breath next to me and Tim Paine and then walking up the stairs and saying ‘I didn’t say anything’ as soon as the rest of his team came out,” Warner said. He also said that as men, one should look at the eyes and say something.
Warner said he was used to taking flak from fans and opposition players, but claimed De Kock’s remark crossed a line.
“The other day I was probably out of line. I’ve seen the footage and I regret the way it played out but for me — it is how I am and I responded emotionally and regretted the way I played out,” he told Australian media in South Africa.
“But I’ll always stick up for my family.
“I cop it left, right and centre, especially off the field from spectators. I am used to that and it doesn’t bother me.
“But in the proximity of my personal space and behind me, a comment that was vile and disgusting and about my wife and just in general about a lady was quite poor, I felt.”
He added: “When it comes to family or racism comments or anything like that, that’s just a no-go zone.”
The left-hander is hopeful that such comments wouldn’t come up in the second Test in Port Elizabeth.
