New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum and Australia skipper George Bailey spoke on Wednesday after their ICC Champions Trophy Group A game had to be abandoned because of rain. Both press conferences were dominated with questions on David Warner.
Brendon McCullum, New Zealand captain
(Q: Today’s rain abandonment wasn’t the worst outcome for you is it?)
“Yeah. No I would definitely have preferred to have had a, obviously, a full game played, but we’ll take a point and obviously know that we’re one good performance away from the semi-finals.”
(Q: New Zealand have had disciplinary problems in the past, how much can it destabilise a team in a competition or a series from your experience?)
“Yeah look we’ve had some issues in the past as well and it’s never great. But it depends on how good your team spirit is and how good your, I guess your structures around it to be able to fight your way through it and sometimes things like that can galvanise you as a unit as well. Look again I’d rather speak about today and also the game that is coming up, versus talking about Davy (David Warner).”
George Bailey, Australia cricket captain:
(Q: When did you first hear of it David Warner’s altercation)?
A: “A few days, but as I’ve said it’s being dealt with. From my point of view disappointed, but a very minor incident and it’s being dealt with in-house and that’s it mate.”
Q: Was it difficult to take the field today though?
A: No, very comfortable, very easy. It was just about, the situation for us believe it or not was bigger than this, it was about making sure we won this game to stay in the tournament and to play some better cricket than we had against England. And I guess with this sort of result I’m still not sure if we’ve done that.”
