Warner sledging 'was not vicious or abusive' say Western Suburbs

David Warner was batting for his club side Randwick Petersham when he removed himself from the game mid-innings. According to reports in Australia, the banned Test batsman had been told "you're a disgrace, you shouldn't be playing cricket"

Western Suburbs have denied suggestions that the comments which prompted David Warner to walk off the field during a recent Sydney grade game were either "vicious or abusive".

Warner was playing for his club side Randwick Petersham on Saturday when he removed himself from the match for a brief period mid-innings.

According to reports in Australia, the banned Test batsman had been told "you're a disgrace, you shouldn't be playing cricket" by Western Suburbs' Jason Hughes, the brother of tragic former international opener Phillip Hughes.

Warner, who is currently serving a 12-month Cricket Australia ball-tampering ban, later returned to the crease and hit a century, his second of the season, but in the aftermath his wife Candice claimed that what was said was "very hurtful".

^{Candice Warner says the comments directed at her husband were "very hurtful"}

"I think he removed himself because he first of all didn't like what he was hearing and where that could have been taken," she told Channel Nine.

Responding to the allegations via a statement, Wests president Michael Swan played down the incident.

"There was no barrage of sledges aimed at David Warner by any WSDCC player," he said.

"There was a brief exchange between Jason Hughes and David Warner. This exchange had nothing to do with Phil Hughes. This exchange was not vicious or abusive as alleged in some sections of the media.

"The WSDCC believes it has maintained integrity at all times and is fully supportive of Jason Hughes and all our players."

The umpires have not made a formal report on the matter.

Weirdness in Sydney Grade cricket. Dave warner, on 35, just walked off the field in the middle of the over. Told the umpire “I’m removing myself from the game”. Apparently it was because of a sledge. He walked off, then came back out to bat 2 mins later. #Cricket pic.twitter.com/jX0lihgLxU

— Brendan Bradford (@1bbradfo) October 27, 2018