Australia wicketkeeper Tim Paine has come out in defence of his vice-captain David Warner, saying allegations made by Proteas team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee are ‘blatantly untrue’.
This is the latest step in an escalating claim-and-counter-claim dispute since CCTV footage emerged of Warner having to be restrained over comments made by Quinton de Kock regarding Warner’s wife, Candice.
Paine’s comments come off the back of Moosajee saying Warner definitely got personal in the field when sledging De Kock.
‘That’s completely false,’ Paine said in Port Elizabeth, ahead of the second Test. ‘At no stage was Quinton’s family mentioned, that’s 100% false.
‘I don’t know how their team manager can hear from where he’s sitting but from where I was, which was right near the whole time, there was nothing we said that was inappropriate.
‘We like to make them feel uncomfortable out there, but we don’t cross the line and bring people’s wives and family into the cricket game.’
Warner has since been charged with a level two breach of the ICC code of conduct for bringing the game into disrepute and faces possible suspension from the second Test in Port Elizabeth starting Friday, while De Kock was reported for a level one offence.
In the leaked CCTV footage, Paine is seen restraining Warner as he reacted to the alleged comments about Candice.
‘I think I was probably the only person that heard it,’ Paine said. ‘As I went past De Kock, he said what he said and luckily I suppose I was there in between.’
Afrikaans website Netwerk24 said De Kock was labelled a ‘bush pig’ and that the Australians also made remarks about his mother and sister.
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
