David Warner says he would react differently if an incident similar to the tunnel row with Quinton de Kock were to happen again.
Speaking for the first time since accepting a fine of more than A$13,000 (about R120,000) for bringing the game into disrepute, he said that after years of restraint, he had snapped when he heard Quinton de Kock’s ‘vile and disgusting’ comments about his wife.
‘I just would have liked him to say the comment a little bit louder, instead of 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. We’re all men, and if you’re going to say something, you look someone in the eye and say it.
‘I think you guys are well aware that I cop it left, right and centre, especially off the field from spectators. I am used to that and it doesn’t bother me,’ Warner said in Port Elizabeth. ‘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, and as I said my emotional response, you saw, was just something that I don’t believe should have been said.
READ ALSO: Quinton de Kock found guilty
‘You guys have seen the past 18-24 months how I conduct myself on the field. What happened the other day was not appropriate and I responded a tad emotionally. But I think I’ve been fantastic the last 18-24 months. I’ve played with aggression, it’s just the cameras haven’t been on me for the last two years.”
Looking ahead to the Port Elizabeth Test match, Warner said he did not expect to face similar barbs to the one delivered by De Kock. If he did, he insisted he would handle it differently.
‘I’d take an appropriate stance and make sure that matters are taken off field away and spoken about in a quiet room, and make sure we can deal with it that way.
“But I can’t see anyone else making comments the way that he made them, which were outright disgusting. I’ve accepted that the way it was played out was regrettable. Hopefully in the future if I’m going to respond emotionally, I would try to do it in a more appropriate manner and walk upstairs.’
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
