Former South Africa and Australian players engage in Twitter war over David Warner incident

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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After Australia coach Darren Lehmann expressed his disappointment over the David Warner incident, which saw a fan sledging him on his way back, Mark Boucher took a jibe at him. The former wicket-keeper has suggested Lehmann look at his own country now, which Boucher believes, have mastered that art.

The ongoing series between South Africa and Australia has been marred by controversies. While the first Test saw a verbal spat between Warner and Quinton de Kock and Nathan Lyon throwing the ball at AB de Villiers while celebrating his run-out, the second Test saw Kagiso Rabada getting suspended for two games following his aggressive behaviour and shoving shoulder with Australian skipper Steve Smith, which was later overturned by the court of conduct. 

However, now with the players seemingly have learned a lesson from it and everyone trying to avoid any further controversy in the third Test, it was a fan who heated things up in the game on the second day. After Rabada managed to pick Warner’s wicket, who scored 30 off 14 balls, a fan was seen sledging the Aussie opener while he was making his way towards the dressing room.

Cricket Australia posted a video on Twitter after the Australian coach made a statement regarding the incident and termed it “disgraceful behaviour” from the fans. Lehmann stated that While the banter was fine, the crowd crossed the lines.

“You’re talking about abuse of various players and their families and personal abuse, it’s not on at a cricket ground anywhere around the world, not just here, it shouldn’t happen. You can have the banter, that’s fine, banter is good-natured, fun by crowds but they’ve gone too far here. We’ve written to Cricket South Africa, Cricket Australia have done that, we’ll see their response, but it’s been poor,” Lehmann said after the second day.

“We accept it all around the world, but as soon as they cross the line and they talk about players’ families the whole time and getting abused like that, it’s just not on. There’s been various incidents throughout the Test series but this one has taken the cake,” he further added.

But it didn’t go down well with the former South African players. Former cricketing stalwarts of the nation, Mark Boucher and Graeme Smith, who had also slammed the spectators for their behaviour, were now quick to add that the Australian cricketers and fans are not nice towards any visiting team either.

Replying to the video, on Twitter, Boucher wrote, “Correct Darren! Fully agree! But… start cleaning up in your own country first! The personal, racial abuse I’ve witnessed in Aus was ridiculous. U guys don’t live in a glass house! Why the fuss all of a sudden? Seems fine when the shoe is on the other foot!”.

Former South Africa captain Smith joined in the conversation and stated that the current Australian side was complaining too much.

“Absolutely right, and I don’t condone any of it…. But Blimey i have never seen an Aussie team whinge and whine like this!” he wrote on Twitter.

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