DAVID Warner reportedly engaged in an hour-long sledging battle with South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock before the pair’s infamous run-in outside the team dressing rooms in Durban.
Reports had emerged that the fracas had been sparked by disparaging remarks about Warner’s wife Candice.
And now, allegedly, the source of de Kock’s frustrations has been revealed - and it relates to Warner’s on-field baiting of the explosive star.
According to reports in South Africa, Warner took pot shots at de Kock’s family members and called the 25-year-old a “bush pig”.
It has also been reported that Warner’s sledging of de Kock was “an hour-long attack on the field”.
Dramatic footage was leaked on Monday of Warner being restrained by teammates in an off-field confrontation with South African wicketkeeper de Kock before tea on day four.
The CCTV video, published by South African outlet Independent Media, shows a fired-up Warner remonstrating with de Kock as the teams walked upstairs to the change rooms during Sunday’s tea break.
The opener had to be physically held back by Usman Khawaja and then shepherded into Australia’s rooms by skipper Steve Smith.
The incident has drawn criticism from Australian great Adam Gilchrist, while South Africa’s team manager said it was “not in the spirit of the game.”
However, the Daily Telegraph understands that Warner has told Cricket Australia team officials that he was enraged by comments made about his family.
And speaking after the match, Smith accused de Kock of starting the whole fracas by getting “quite personal” with Warner.
“Quinton got quite personal and provoked an emotional response from Davey,” Steve Smith said.
“As far as I am aware we didn’t get personal toward Quinton.”
That view was quickly rejected by the Proteas, however.
Proteas team manager Mohammed Moosajee suggested Warner got personal in his sledging and “whatever happens out on the field, you giving something you’ve got to take it”.
South African captain Faf du Plessis said de Kock was unaffected by the furore.
“When you look at him now, it’s like nothing happened,” he said.
“Quinny’s fine. I don’t think you’d get a reaction out of Quinton anyway, most of the time.”
Warner’s transformation from being Australian cricket’s problem child to its most famous teetotaller has long been attributed to his relationship with Candice.
Suspended for punching Joe Root in a bar in 2013, Warner has spent the past four-and-a-half years repairing his public image, shedding his moniker as “the Bull” and the team enforcer to become “the Reverend.”
Gilchrist is concerned by the re-emergence of Warner’s ugly side and said the left-hander needs to find the right balance between the two personas.
“He used to pride himself as a guy who got into the verbal stoushes and was a leader of the aggressive mindset,” the former keeper said on SEN.
“He then went the other way and they called him the Reverend, and he was very outright in saying I’ve put that away, it isn’t me anymore.
“It coincided with the time he got married, had kids and got a different perspective on life.
“It is extreme the opposite way. Now he has come back again, saying old Davie is back, his teammates are saying the reverend is gone and the bull is back.
“It is always a worry in any situation where someone is so extreme in one direction or another.
“The balance between intensity and being relaxed, David has to find somewhere in-between.
“He prides himself on being a leader of the team, he did very well in the T20s as the captain, but what we have seen over the past 24 hours aren’t the images that you want your captain projecting.”
The 46-year-old added that Warner should be grateful to the likes of Usman Khawaja, Tim Paine and Steve Smith who all stepped in to diffuse the situation.
“It’s not a good look, and if there’s one thing that David Warner needs to be very thankful of, it’s for his teammates being in the way there,” Gilchrist said.
“Because if they were not there and he goes on the path that he was intending, who knows what would have happened.
“In any sporting contest, in any contest, when you start getting a bit violent on or off the field it’s a no-brainer, it’s not acceptable.
“So he’s lucky and he should thank his teammates from being in the way.
“I don’t know what provoked it, but it’s not something you can do and you’ve got to be able to balance that up and contain that.”
Gilchrist earlier Tweeted that Warner was likely provoked, however South African great Graeme Smith suggested the Australian opener was throwing stones in glass houses.
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