David Warner takes aim at Kiwi fans ahead of T20 Series

David Warner is holding on to his grievances with New Zealand crowds as he gears up for his final Twenty20 series against the Black Caps.

During Australia’s last full tour of New Zealand in 2016, Warner expressed dissatisfaction with the nature of abuse he and his teammates faced from the home crowds in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, and Christchurch.

The Australians were subjected to personal and derogatory remarks, prompting Warner to criticise the crowd’s behaviour. Speaking at the time, Warner said what the crowds said was “pretty derogatory and pretty vulgar”.

Approaching the end of his international cricket career, 37-year-old Warner took a swipe at those attending matches to hurl abuse at players. Despite the past incidents, he emphasised his enjoyment of playing in New Zealand, focusing on giving his best performance and scoring runs.

“The crowd, yeah, they got personal, but if they have to get personal, that’s their character. I just go about my business. But that’s upon each individual, if that’s what they feel like they have to do, then so be it. If you want to pay your money to come and abuse people, you have to go back and lay in your own bed. We’re here to play the game of cricket that we love, enjoy and put bums on seats to keep the game going.”

Warner’s own fans have a reputation for abuse. Australian cricket fans gained notoriety in the 1980s when crowds packed into the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s Bay 13 would chant “Hadlee is a wanker”, as the great New Zealand cricketer Sir Richard Hadlee went about his business.

With his international retirement imminent, Warner bid farewell to test cricket last month at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The Cricket World Cup final win over India in the previous year marked his last One Day International. The upcoming Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies and United States will serve as the culmination of his international career, as he aims to finish with one last trophy.

Anticipating the T20 series against New Zealand, Warner acknowledged the competitive spirit between the neighbouring nations and expected a challenging atmosphere from the Kiwi crowds. Despite not expecting warm farewells, Warner maintained a pragmatic approach, saying, “It’s always the harsh reality that we’re neighbours; in sport, we like to beat each other.”

No stranger to New Zealand cricket, Warner, who debuted internationally in 2009, also had a stint with Northern Districts in the HRV Cup (now the T20 Super Smash). Drawing from his experience on both sides of the Tasman, Warner suggested including a New Zealand team in Australia’s Big Bash League, envisioning it as a bridge between the two cricketing nations.

“My first game was in Oamaru, so that was an eye-opener. There wasn’t much there, but I really enjoyed it. There was exceptional talent coming through there; you’re showcasing that now, it’s great. I’ve always said we should have a New Zealand team in the Big Bash competition. You have the NRL and Super 15 [Super Rugby] now. All that works well, but logistically, I don’t know how that fits.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission