David Warner has no intention of clearing the air with Quinton de Kock after their stairwell stoush during Australia’s last visit to South Africa, but both men have played down the likelihood of tensions reigniting between the two nations.
Warner and de Kock delivered one of the ugliest moments of a bitter Test series in 2018 when they squared off on a staircase after play in Durban.
The confrontation was sparked by de Kock making a derogatory comment about Warner’s wife Candice and her tryst with Sonny Bill Williams more than a decade earlier.
Warner described the sledge as “vile and disgusting”, and the debacle was made worse in Port Elizabeth when a number of fans – and two Cricket South Africa officials – were photographed wearing Williams face masks.
Warner said he hadn’t spoken to de Kock since the heated 2018 series.
“Obviously we’ll cross paths playing against each other. But I don’t have his number and I speak to a few of the South African guys but I’ve never played in the same team as him or anything like that,” Warner told reporters in Johannesburg.
“Obviously it’s a little bit different. I’m sure if I see him on the field and that, we’ll just treat each other how we normally would as respectful opponents.”
(Photo by Paul Kane – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images)
A hostile capacity crowd is forecast for the T20 series-opener at the Wanderers on Friday night (Saturday morning AEDT), Warner and Steve Smith’s first match in South Africa since the Cape Town ball-tampering saga that earned them 12-month suspensions.
Warner isn’t expecting a repeat of the hostilities during the tour, which also includes a return to Newlands for the final T20 followed by three ODIs.
“It’s one-day cricket and Twenty20 cricket. You don’t really have much time over the short period of time to get underneath each other’s skin or anything like that,” he said.
“And you don’t go out there to do that. Obviously they had some heated exchanges with the English (last month) and that was during the Test matches.
“For us, our focus is moving forward and trying to get the wins on the board and send a message to everyone that the (T20) World Cup is in our backyard and we want to be a team to be beaten.”
Wicketkeeper-batsman de Kock – now South Africa’s captain after replacing longtime incumbent Faf du Plessis across all formats – said he expected the series to be played in the right spirit.
“I think me and (Warner) have moved on from there anyway,” he said.
“We just look to play cricket, we still both love to play the game really hard. But I don’t think anything will happen.
“We’ll just carry on with the way we need to go about things and won’t worry too much about it.”
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the 'heads up'. Wasn't aware of any possible lead up by Warner.
Samtwocantoo
Guest
Sledging has always been an integral part of the game , but this generation of cricketers don’t possess the humour and wit of previous generations. So it seems they get a little desperate , and inevitably resort to unacceptable behaviour. You only have to compare such legendary comedians as John Cleese , Dave Allen etc , to the current crop of tryhards to see why there has been a decline in onfield humour.
Captain Obvious
Roar Rookie
It's typical Warner, a bully on the field who can dish it out but not cop it back.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Australia & South Africa approach their sport in a similar passionate manner & both countries' fans likewise. One day Warner may reveal the whole tale although there is probably no benefit for him to do so particularly if it paints him in a less than favourable light. I was at the SCG when a drunken buffoon spectator manhandled John Snow so poor behaviour is not new however sledging by players has gone from being "clever" to downright disgusting. Test Cricket nations' captains & officials should have nipped it in its infancy & it wouldn't have festered. Steve Waugh called it "mental disintegration. Comment to Herschell Gibbs "you have just dropped the World Cup" is acceptable however some of the other personal rubbish is not. Umpires should have done more.
Charging Rhino
Roar Guru
"The confrontation was sparked by de Kock making a derogatory comment about Warner’s wife" - incorrect. The confrontation was sparked a long time before that with Warner incessantly digging, swearing and provoking de Kock, whom all team mates describe as a quiet easy going guy. Quinton made one comment, one reply, which hit deep. In South African culture if the other person starts it then anything or anyone is fair game, doesn't matter if it's a family member. You're not that one that started it the other person did, but boy will you (the South African) finish it to shut the other person up. That's the attitude. Australian and South African cultures are very similar in many ways, but there are also some contrasting and pertinent differences which you only learn when living in both countries. Neither are right or wrong. It's funny because both often see each other as arrogant, with them being the humble "right" ones.
Ragnar
Roar Rookie
I hope that Warner did not make that remark and that it is the flight of fancy from some reporter. At the time, it was widely reported held that Warner had made personal remarks to de Kock about his family etc and that is what fired up de Kock to retaliate. Whatever the truth of the matter it is wiser for Warner to leave well enough alone. He has done well up to now in the way he has handled himself and deserves respect for that but if he made these remarks he has been really foolish and leads credence to those who say he started the whole sorry mess in the first place. Below is just one report from SA media at the time. There were many, many others along the same lines countered by opposite reports from the Australian media trying desperately to put the best spin on a sorrowful situation. It just inflamed the situation. de Kock's "Warner's stunning rampage in Durban was reportedly sparked by an alleged comment about his wife Candice by de Kock. Warner's wife Candice Warner is currently in Durban. A claim later emerged on Monday night that de Kock's personal slur directed at Warner was in response to Warner first crossing the line with a series of personal attacks directed at the South African keeper as he was trying to save the game for South Africa. Proteas team manager Mohammed Moosajee suggested Warner got personal in his sledging and "whatever happens out on the field, you giving something you've got to take it". The Proteas are privately alleging that Warner referenced de Kock's sister and mother in some verbals. Separate reports claim the South African camp also briefed local media that Warner called de Kock a "bush pig". A further report from South Africa's Independent Media - the first news site to publish the leaked CCTV footage from Durban - claims Warner "led an hour long attack on the field" as de Kock and opener Aiden Markram frustrated the Aussie attack on their way to eventually winning the series opener on day five. South African legend Graeme Smith also said Warner "crossed many personal boundaries".
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I hope those with issue about Warner note this article. Forget that the South Africans and crowd were sledging Warner, the guy's wife was being shamed publicly in front of their kids, including by the SA officials. Understandable that he had a brain snap.
Paul
Roar Guru
That doesn't mean there won't be plenty of words flying between the sides. Guys like Rabada aren't going to back away from a confrontation, though Paine will no doubt ask our guys not to retaliate, especially if the crowd gets stirred up.