DAVID Warner has backed the International Cricket Council’s decision to charge Faf du Plessis for ball-tampering and taken a swipe at South Africa’s off-field behaviour.
Reformed enfant terrible Warner will leave it for the ICC to judge du Plessis’ culpability but he welcomes the governing body’s stricter approach to on-field incidents.
The ICC has long been accused of being toothless on a raft of issues affecting the sport.
But they’ve been notably proactive since footage emerged from the second Test showing South Africa skipper du Plessis applying saliva to the ball with a mint in his mouth.
ICC chief David Richardson declared his compatriot should be charged three days after the incident, which came as the Proteas cruised to series victory in Hobart.
Match referee Andy Pycroft then insisted the hearing proceed before the start of the day-night Test in Adelaide to “protect the integrity” of the game, despite the Proteas wanting to wait so their legal representative could fly in.
Australia vice-captain Warner, who also gave the Proteas a clip for their indignant reaction to the charge, was forthright when asked about the ICC’s no-nonsense response to the saga.
“The rules are in place for a reason and if you’re not going to use them why bother having them?” Warner pondered on Tuesday.