JOIN USShane Watson has denied any role in forcing Australia cricket chiefs to take action against David Warner for the opener’s attack on England’s Joe Root.
Earlier this month, Warner was fined USD 11,000 and suspended until the start of the Ashes in Nottingham on July 10 by Cricket Australia. The sanctions were for throwing a punch at Root in a Birmingham bar following Australia’s Champions Trophy loss to their arch-rivals. Following Warner’s suspension, there were reports in the Australian media that officials had only decided to discipline Warner after Watson had complained about double standards.
Watson was one of four players dropped from the Test side during a 4-0 series loss in India earlier this year for failing to hand in a written feedback requested by team management. But he insisted he had not done anything to make officials suspend Warner. “Absolutely not,” Watson said when asked if he had informed Arthur of events at the Walkabout bar in Birmingham. “In the end, the coaching staff and Mickey and the leadership group found out about Dave’s incident off their own bat.”