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David Warner has sent Australia’s Ashes preparations into turmoil with Cricket Australia considering sending the star batsman home after an allegedly unprovoked physical attack on England player Joe Root.
Warner has been stood down from Wednesday’s Champions Trophy game against New Zealand for breaching Cricket Australia’s code of conduct.
Warner was allegedly involved in a physical altercation with the England player at a Birmingham bar in the early hours of Sunday following the pool match between the teams at Edgbaston.
England’s Fleet St press is reporting that Root was wearing a wig while enjoying his evening, which Warner snatched off his head. The Mirror reports that Warner then struck Root after he was challenged.
Team management scratched Warner from the must-win clash against the Kiwis at Edgbaston pending the outcome of a hearing, which CA said in a statement will be held “as soon as possible”.
England Cricket Board issued a statement on Wednesday confirming the incident, however didn’t name Root.
They said the assault was unprovoked and that Warner had since apologised to the player.
“Following a statement issued this morning by Cricket Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirms that David Warner initiated an unprovoked physical attack on a member of the England team in a Birmingham bar following England’s 48 run victory over Australia,” the statement said.
“Warner has admitted behaving inappropriately and has since apologised to the player involved who has accepted the apology.
“Following a full investigation the England team management has concluded that the England player was in no way responsible for, nor retaliated to the attack.
“ECB has concluded that this is a matter for Cricket Australia and have no further comment to make.”
Rumours emerged on Tuesday afternoon in Birmingham that an Australian player had been involved in an incident following the loss to England.
New Zealand players were at first hearing the Australian player had already been sent home.
National Selector John Inverarity denied any knowledge of an incident when questioned by AAP on Tuesday evening at the team hotel.
An Australian cricketer currently playing for Penn Cricket Club in Warwickshire, Sam Doggett, first tweeted the rumours on Tuesday evening England time.
Doggett has been a net bowler for the Champions Trophy and on Tuesday also tweeted a photo of himself with Australian fast bowler Clint McKay at a training session.
Warner has been no stranger to controversy in recent times and was recently involved in a twitter squabble with two Australian journalists and subsequently fined.
He had previously had a twitter clash with former Australian and Tasmanian player Brett Geeves, from which he was also reprimanded.
Warner’s potential disciplinary action comes at the worst possible time for the Australian team who have struggled since arriving in England where they are attempting to defend the Champions Trophy and then win back the Ashes.
The Australians were thrashed in a warm-up game against India, bowled out for a paltry 65.
They were then comfortably defeated by England in the first match, going down by 48 runs.
Australia’s poor start in England followed a humiliating 4-0 Test loss to India in India.
Ill-discipline was a feature of that tour with four players dropped for the Mohali Test because of the `homework-gate’ affair for not providing written feedback on how to improve their own and the team’s performance.
We are aware of reports regarding an incident involving David Warner in England. CA is investigating and will be commenting further soon.
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) June 12, 2013
(With AAP.)
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