Tearful David Warner fears he will never play for Australia again after ball-tampering scandal
Disgraced former vice-captain holds emotional press conference after flying home from South Africa to Sydney
A distraught David Warner issued an abject apology for his role in the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal on Saturday and said he was resigned to the prospect of never playing cricket for Australia again after his 12-month ban.
In a fourth highly emotional media conference in three days involving the Australian cricket team, the former vice captain struggled to fight back the tears as he read a prepared statement in which he said his actions had been “inexcusable”.
“There’s a tiny ray of hope that I may one day be given the privilege of playing for my country again but I’m resigned to the fact that may never happen again,” the ashen-faced 31-year-old told reporters at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
“In the coming weeks and months I’m going to look at how this happened and who I am as a man. I will seek out advice and expertise to help me make serious changes.”
Former captain Steve Smith, who gave his own emotional media conference on Thursday, also received a year’s ban and batsman Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months for their part in last Saturday’s incident, which has rocked Australia.