On this day in 2013 Australian cricketer David Warner apologised to Joe Root for a bar-room attack on the England batsman which he admitted was inexcusable.
Warner was suspended until the first Test of that year’s Ashes series and fined £7,000 following the incident, which occurred in a Birmingham pub in the early hours of the morning after England’s 48-run win over their old rivals at Edgbaston.
The batsman admitted he struck Root in the face and pleaded guilty to breaching Cricket Australia’s code of behaviour.
Warner told a press conference at a London hotel: “The incident that occurred, that I had struck Joe Root in the face, I’m here today to put my hand up and apologise publicly to Joe.
“I am responsible for my actions, extremely remorseful. I have let not just myteam-mates down, but the Cricket Australia fans, the support staff, myself, my family, I’m sincerely apologetic.”
Then captain Michael Clarke, alongside Warner at the press conference atKensington’s Royal Garden Hotel, added: “Right now he knows very clearlyhow I feel.
“He knows how disappointed I am and the team are and he knows he’ll have to do everything in his power now to be involved in that first Test match.
“This behaviour is unacceptable as an Australia cricketer. We have a younggroup and we’ve come a long way but our behaviour has generally beenoutstanding.”
Warner missed the first Test but returned for the remainder of the series which saw England retain the Ashes for a third successive campaign.
