Kane Williamson Bats For Steve Smith And David Warner After Ball-Tampering Ban
Published - 11 Dec 2019, 06:28 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:02 AM
Steve Smith and David Warner have earlier gone through rough patches in their career as they were suspended for a year for their involvement in the ball-tampering incident against South Africa in Cape Town last year. After the end of their ban, they returned to international cricket to face England in the Ashes series and England supporters booed both of them. David Warner didn’t have the best of starts in the English conditions and fell prey to Stuart Broad more often than not.
England supporters were also caught saving off David Warner with sandpaper after he was dismissed during this year’s Ashes series. Though Warner failed, Steve Smith came out on top much to England’s annoyance. He ended up as the leading run-scorer in the series with 774 runs at an outstanding average of 110.57. He scored 3 fifties, 3 centuries and a double century.
David Warner returned back to form during Australia’s home series against Pakistan. Warner hit the peak performance and came through with flying colours after he scored his maiden triple century. He was en route to breaking Brian Lara’s record of 400. But, Australia skipper Tim Paine called off the innings.
Kane Williamson shows support for Steve Smith and David Warner
Steve Smith and David Warner will take the field against New Zealand in the first of three tests, starting in Perth on Thursday. Meanwhile, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson showed great support for Australian rivals Steve Smith and David Warner over their treatment after the infamous sandpaper-gate scandal.
“It crossed the line, and the punishment was severe. But it was heavy character assassination, and largely unfair. They made a mistake and they put their hands up. They’re not bad people. They just pushed the boundaries and got a bit caught up with it at that moment. They would’ve learnt a lot about it.
For us, it’s not something you’d obviously wish to be involved in, in any way whatsoever. You’re always competing hard and obviously trying hard to take wickets. It was an unfortunate event,” Williamson told the Herald Sun.
