Quintment of Quinton de Kock and David Warner, a fight for the Durban Test, whose video created a sensation
The Australian camp accused De Kock of commenting about Warner’s wife and said that the comment was enraged. Let’s go directly to that test:
Which match was: First Test, Durban, 01 – 05 March, 2018, Australia’s South Africa Tour
Australia 351 (Mitchell Marsh 96, Steve Smith 56, David Warner 51, Keshav Maharaj 5-123, Philander 3-59) and 227 (Bancroft 53, Keshav Maharaj 4-102, Morne Morkel 3-47)
South Africa 162 (AB de Villiers 71*, Mitchell Starc 5-34) and 298 (Markram 143, de Cock 83, Mitchell Starc 4-75, Hazelwood 3-61)
Player of the Match Mitchell Starc (35, 5/34 and 4/75)
What happened: In Durban, in this first Test of the 4-Test series, even though the last day missed Mitchell Starc hat-trick, Australia won the Test by 118 and took a 1-0 lead in the series. With this victory, Australia started a campaign to retain the impressive record of not losing any Test series in South Africa since South Africa’s return to Test cricket. Even then the news of that quarrel did not discuss Australia’s victory that should have been found. This test is remembered more for this quarrel, although the quarrel occurred outside the ground.
All of these happened in the tunnel of Kingsmade during T Interval on the fourth day of the Test, from which the players go to their dressing room in the pavilion. That is why no one really knows what happened? However, the cameras on the stairs leading to the dressing room recorded some part of it and later the CCTV footage was leaked by South African Media Outlets, Independent Media.
This footage could not find out who started the clash and for what reason, but the video showed that when Warner was arguing with D. Kock, some players of his team were holding them by catching them. It was seen in the video that Usman Khwaja and Tim Paine were asking Warner to move away and go inside. Smith then dragged his vice-captain. South African captain Faf du Plessis also tried to end the quarrel.
After this, both the camps started coming up with their claims and allegations on this quarrel. South Africa Management said that the debate between Warner and D Cock had started only when D Cock was batting and both took the same taunts outside the ground. However, both umpires, Kumar Dharmasena and S Ravi claimed that they did not hear anything that was wrong, du Plessis still believes that if the umpires had already intervened, they could have avoided the conflict in the tunnel.
Prior to Tea Interval, Australia’s disappointment was clearly visible on the ground. He got only one wicket between lunch and tea and D Cock and Eden Markram were taking South Africa closer to the target of 417 runs with their strong partnership. Actually, that day, earlier also another incident took place. In it, AB de Villiers was run out in misunderstanding with Markram and Warner shouted to Markram celebrating this run out on his throw. No one blamed Warner for this, but the bowler Nathan Leone was accused of throwing the ball to de Villiers.
The South Africa camp emphasized that Warner made personal comments but Australia’s wicketkeeper Tim Paine claimed that South Africa was not telling the truth and Warner did not make any personal comment on D Cock on the ground that mentioned any member of his family. On the contrary, Australia captain Steven Smith said that De Kock made personal comments on Warner, crossed all limits and also took the name of Warner’s wife Candis. Warner himself claimed that South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock made a very wrong comment about his wife and because of this, when there was a confrontation between the two, Warner got angry.
He said, ‘I face the comments of the audience from the left, right and everywhere, especially from outside the ground and I do not mind, but when someone comes close to me and from behind me, my wife and especially a woman will make such a cheap and disgusting comment about a woman and especially a woman.’ Although four more players were stopping him during the debate with D Cock, Warner said that he had no intention of assaulting D Cock.
What happened after this: The ICC paid attention to whatever was recorded on CCTV and both Warner and D. Kock accused the ground umpires of ‘conduct that defames the game’. The common thinking is that the ICC had a chance to set an example in front of these two by fining both of them, and other players which the ICC did. The match referee reminded the two teams about what spirit should be played. Both players were accused of breaking Level 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct to defame the game.
Who got punishment: Warner and D Cock joined hands at the end of the test. On behalf of Cricket Australia, it was said that both team managers, Musaji and Gavin Dovi have been talked to by match referee Jeff Crow and asked both the teams to remain calm.
David Warner was sentenced to 75 percent of the match fees and three demerit points, while D Cock was fined 50 percent cash and two demerit points. When D Cock appealed against this sentence, his sentence was reduced to 25 percent fine and a demerit point. Warner is still lucky that if he had got four demerit points, he could have been banned. Now he was allowed to play in the second Test.
On the other hand, Lyon contacted De Villiers and apologized to him, but he was also accused of breaking the Code of Conduct and considered it to be equal to the level one. However, this story started discussing and new debate about sledging in cricket and the level of correct behavior on the ground. Is this done this time and will never happen next or is such a common practice for some players?
