David Warner opens up on 'vile and disgusting' sledge

Port Elizabeth, March 8: David Warner insisted he will always stick up for his family after the Australia vice-captain broke his silence over the "vile and disgusting" comments allegedly made during the first Test against South Africa.

Warner was fined 75 per cent of his match fee Warner was fined 75 per cent of his match fee

Australia batsman Warner had to be pulled away from De Kock by captain Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja as the players made their way up the stairs for tea.

Skipper Smith claimed De Kock – who was fined 25 per cent of his match fee and hit with one demerit point – "got personal" with Warner and the latter said he has no plans to curb his approach for the second Test, starting on Friday in Port Elizabeth.

"I cop it left, right and centre, especially off the field from spectators and I'm used to that and it doesn't bother me," Warner said via cricket.com.au.

"But in a proximity of my personal space and from behind me, a comment that was vile and disgusting about my wife, and in general about a lady, was quite poor, I felt.

"My emotional response was just something that I don't believe should have been said and I'll always stick up for my family and in that case my team-mates as well.

"I would have liked him to actually say the comment a little bit louder instead of just muttering it under his breath next to me and Tim Paine and then walking up the stairs and saying 'I didn't say anything' as soon as the rest of his team that came out.

"At the end of the day, we're all men and if you're going to say something you look at someone in the eye and say it."

Warner added: "I can't see anyone else make comments the way he made them, which were outright disgusting. As I said, it's a thing you wouldn't say about any lady, especially someone's wife or a player's wife.

"You guys have seen the past 18-24 months how I conduct myself on the field. What happened the other day was not appropriate and I responded a tad emotionally.

"But I think I've been fantastic the last 18-24 months. I play with aggression on the field and I try not to cross that line and it has been in the past that I have sort of been fiery.

"However, I don't think whatsoever there on the field that I have ever crossed that line. That's how I play my cricket; I live by the sword and die by the sword. I'll keep playing with that energy and making sure I am the voice in the team to keep our guys motivated on the field, that's for sure."

Source: OPTA