David Warner has decided to withdraw his appeal against a lifetime captaincy ban, citing a need to “protect his family” from what was happening.
The opening batter also launched a caustic attack on the review process, claiming the independent panel put in place in charge of the review wanted to put him through a “public lynching”.
With Tim Paine gone, Warner was one of the frontrunners for the Australian captaincy which seemed to be a matter of time after Cricket Australia (CA) re-wrote its Code of Conduct policy to allow Warner an appeal against his lifetime ban which was issued after the Newlands ball-tamepering scandal in 2018.
But in a lengthy social media post on the eve of Australia’s second test against West Indies, Warner decided to bring an end to the process himself.
The 36-year-old also accused the counsel assisting the review panel, which is independent of CA, of making “offensive” comments during the process.
“In effect, Counsel Assisting, and, it appears, to some extent the Review Panel, want to conduct a public trial of me and what occurred during the Third Test at Newlands,” Warner wrote.
“They want to conduct a public spectacle to, in the Panel’s words, have a “cleansing”. I am not prepared for my family to be the washing machine for cricket’s dirty laundry”.
“Regrettably, I have no practical alternative at this point in time but to withdraw my application.
CA was also reportedly in favour of David Warner getting a private hearing in his appeal against the ban but cannot interfere in matters outside its jurisdiction.
Steve Smith, the captain at the time of the scandal, will lead Australia in the second test match after Pat Cummins was ruled out due to injury.
