Sydney: Disgraced former Australian vice-captain David Warner will start his road to redemption by playing club cricket with Sydney’s Randwick Petersham, officials announced Thursday.
The left-handed opener is serving a year-long ban from state and international cricket for his part in a plan to use sandpaper to tamper with the ball during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town in March.
Randwick Petersham club president Mike Whitney, a former Test fast bowler, said Warner will play in at least three of the first four matches of the season. “We’re delighted to have him. He’s one of the best players Australia has had since World War II,” Whitney was quoted as saying to a local daily Wednesday.
“He’s been speaking to one of our club officials and he has committed to the first three or four rounds of the season. Why it is only three or four rounds at this stage I don’t know.” Warner has also been linked with playing in the Northern Territory’s limited-overs Strike League.
Whitney, who has played 12 Tests for Australia, said he emailed Warner shortly after he was banned in April to tell him the door was open. “Everyone is excited to have him. He will be great in the changing rooms with younger players,” the veteran added.
