Warner withdraws appeal against lifetime leadership ban

David Warner has withdrawn an appeal to lift his lifetime leadership ban in Australian cricket claiming the process would involve a “public trial” of his part in the infamous ball-tampering scandal.

The 36-year-old was given the chance to appeal after Cricket Australia’s code of conduct changed in November.

Warner’s leadership and 12-month ban from elite cricket began in 2018.

“Some things are more important than cricket,” said Warner.

In a lengthy statement on Instagram, he added: “I am not prepared for my family to be the washing machine for cricket’s dirty laundry.”

The opening batter’s statement comes the day before Australia’s second Test against West Indies begins at the Adelaide Oval.

Warner said he was not prepared to subject his family and team-mates to “further trauma and disruption”, brought about by the review panel wanting to “conduct a public spectacle” and a “cleansing”.

He says he submitted an application to Cricket Australia (CA) on 25 November saying he wanted to “demonstrate” to the review panel his “deep regret and remorse and that my rehabilitation and transformation are profound.”

CA said it “supported” Warner’s wish “for these discussions to be heard behind closed doors”, but that it was “disappointed with the outcome”.

“Our intention was to give David the opportunity to demonstrate why his lifetime leadership ban should be varied at an independent hearing and we amended our Code of Conduct accordingly,” CA added.

“David is a very senior and highly regarded member of the Australian team who has been a great ambassador for the game as a whole since his return from a year-long ban.”

After Aaron Finch stepped down as Australia’s one-day international captain, there had been calls for former vice-captain Warner to fill the vacancy.

Pat Cummins, Australia’s Test captain, was named as Finch’s successor in October, but he said he would be willing to share the ODI captaincy to ease his burden.

Former Test captain Steve Smith was also banned from playing for a year and from leadership roles for three years after the scandal and will lead Australia against West Indies because Cummins is injured. (BBC Sport)