David Warner has arrived at Port Elizabeth ahead of the second test against South Africa smiling and joking with wife Candice – despite being mired in a verbal stoush with a rival.
Warner had to be restrained during an altercation with South African player Quinton de Kock, allegedly calling his mother and sister ‘bush pigs’.
New footage has emerged showing Warner calling de Kock a ‘f**king sook’ as the players made their way off the field.
Warner has been given a grade two contrary conduct charge while de Kock was given a less serious grade one charge – after the South African made disparaging comments about Candice.
David Warner has arrived at Port Elizabeth ahead of the second test against South Africa smiling and joking with wife Candice
Warner had to be restrained during an altercation with South African player Quinton de Kock, allegedly calling his mother and sister ‘bush pigs’
Warner has been given a grade two contrary conduct charge while de Kock was given a less serious grade one charge – after the South African made disparaging comments about Candice
New footage has emerged showing Warner calling de Kock a ‘f**king sook’ as the players made their way off the field
Warner is expected to escape suspension but could still face a heavy fine for his role in the conflict.
Arriving at Port Elizabeth airport ahead of the second test, David and Candice were pictured with their daughters Indi and Ivy.
The controversy of the last few days appeared to have little effect on the Warners.
The couple were pictured smiling and laughing. while holding and playing with their two daughters.
Before their stairwell fracas, Warner called de Kock a ‘f**king sook’ as the players came off the field.
Warner had reportedly been sledging the South African on the field for an hour before his comments.
‘You f**king sook. Have a look at you, you sook,’ Warner said.
Warner allegedly referred to de Kock’s mother and sister as ‘bush pigs’ in the lead up to an ugly dressing room stoush captured on CCTV.
The Australian opener had to be held back by teammates during the tea break on the fourth day of the first Test, as he abused Quinton de Kock in the stairwell at Durban.
It was initially suggested Warner’s outburst came in response to comments about his wife Candice, however the Proteas have since claimed it was the fiery Australian who incited the verbal confrontation by referencing de Kock’s family during play.
The shocking incident has not only seen tensions between the teams rise to boiling point but also divided the public, with some slamming the Australian vice captain and others claiming he is the victim.
Warner is expected to escape suspension but could still face a heavy fine for his role in the conflict
Arriving at Port Elizabeth airport ahead of the second test, David and Candice were pictured with their daughters Indi and Ivy
The controversy of the last few days appeared to have little effect on the Warners
Legendary leg spinner Shane Warne was among the ex-players to have his say on the incident, claiming ‘sledging has always been a part’ of the rivalry.
‘Chat, banter (and) sledging has always been a part of any series between SA and Oz, both sides always give it out,’ Warne posted to Instagram.
‘Respect is the key and I hope nothing personal was said to any player from either side.
‘Have a beer together afterwards and get on with it – stop the whinging!’
Former South African captain Graeme Smith and star Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist also weighed in, echoing Warne’s view.
‘Ugly scenes in Durban. Can only assume something very personal has been throw at Dave Warner for this type of reaction. Not a good look all round,’ Gilchrist tweeted.
In response, South Africa’s second all-time leading run scorer suggested Warner was not entirely innocent in the feud.
The Proteas have claimed it was Warner who incited the confrontation after making comments about de Kock’s sister and mother. The South African is pictured with wife Sasha
Legendary leg spinner Shane Warne was among the ex-players to have his say on the incident, claiming ‘sledging has always been a part’ of the rivalry in an Instagram post (pictured)
A junior opponent of Warner’s claimed there was no way he was an innocent party in the feud
Other social media punters labelled the Australian vice captain a ‘national embarrassment’
One commenter sarcastically claimed the incident was ‘so out of character’
‘Warner crossed many personal boundaries with the South Africans, so we can’t be surprised when there is eventually a reaction,’ Smith said.
‘If players are happy to give it,they have to be prepared to take it, too. On both sides! But agreed not a good look.’
A former junior opponent of Warner’s also had his say on Twitter, claiming there was no way the Sydney-born batsman was an innocent party.
‘The best thing… is that international cricketers now know what Sydney grade cricketers have been experiencing from him for years,’ he wrote.
‘He once called me a ‘f***ing spastic’ in an u/21s game. But that was 10 years ago and he’s grown up a lot since then.’
Others were similarly unimpressed, calling him a ‘national embarrassment’ and also sarcastically claiming it was ‘so out of character’ for him to be involved in drama.
At his post match press conference Australian captain Steve Smith defended his star opener, saying he had not heard any unsavory comments from Warner to de Kock.
‘We were certainly very chirpy out on the field as well. As far as I’m aware we didn’t get personal towards Quinton,’ Smith said.
Warner had to be restrained (above) by teammates during the fiery exchange with de Kock at the tea break on day four of the first Test
So intense was the verbal stoush that Warner needed to be held back by teammates, including captain Steve Smith (pictured), as tensions between the pair threatened to boil over
‘What he (de Kock) said got a little bit personal towards Davey and as we saw it certainly provoked an emotional response.
‘Those things aren’t on and you can’t be getting into somebody’s personal life … that’s crossing the line.’
The CCTV footage begins innocuously with the Australians walking from the field of play and up to the changerooms just moments after the end of the second session.
But within seconds of fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Mitch Marsh making their way up the stairs, a commotion can be seen beginning in the background.
Warner can be seen reluctantly being pushed up the stairs by his teammate Usman Khawaja, as he appears to yell intensely at someone further down the stairwell.
Moments later de Kock and his teammate Aiden Markram emerge into view, with the fiery Australian batsman continuing to yell in their direction.
The effort of Australian players including Smith, Khawaja, Tim Paine and Nathan Lyon to come between the pair did little to deter a fired-up Warner
Attempts of Australian players including Smith, Khawaja, Tim Paine and Nathan Lyon to come between the pair did little to deter a fired-up Warner.
Hearing the commotion from the stairwell, South African players also emerge out of their changerooms, before quickly becoming involved in the trading of barbs.
Seemingly fearing the altercation will turn physical, an ICC official can be seen trying to calm the situation by directing players into their respective changerooms.
The fall out from the incident overshadowed Australia’s convincing first Test victory.
Australia clinched a 118-run victory early on the fifth day of the match, with Mitchell Starc named man of the match for his nine wicket haul
Warner (pictured left with his wife) and de Kock’s shouting match was the second incident of the day on Sunday involving the Australian that is likely to catch the attention of the match referee