5 Australian cricketers who got caught up in drinking controversies ft. Ricky Ponting
Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has been under the scanner for a week now after he was involved in a ‘drinking’ episode at an Adelaide pub, which led to him being hospitalized. Several media reports suggested that Cricket Australia (CA) was investigating the entire incident, but Maxwell’s manager has clarified that no such inquiry is underway.
As per reports, Maxwell attended a golf club event and later visited a live music venue on the same night, after he was being rested for the three-match ODI series against the West Indies. This is not the first time an Australian cricketer has been under the scanner for being involved in a drinking controversy.
Here we take a look at 5 Australian cricketers got caught up in drinking controversies much like Glenn Maxwell:
#5 Andrew Symonds
One of the most promising all-rounders in the game, Andrew Symonds was a match-winner in every aspect. He was imposing at 6 feet 2 inches and could bowl both off-spin and lively medium-pace. Despite his large stature, Symonds was a gun in the field and with the bat, he could change the complexion of any match within a matter of overs. However, discipline was not always his best friend.
It was in Cardiff back in 2005 when Symonds, visibly inebriated, arrived for the match against Bangladesh. He was not at his best and this was picked up by captain Ricky Ponting who asked the all-rounder to leave the ground. The Australians lost this match by five wickets in one of the big upsets.
"I was furious at a player being so disrespectful to himself, his teammates, his opponents and his country by turning up to play a game in that state, and I blurted out, 'He can go home then!' to Gilchrist before heading off to speak to John Buchanan,” Ponting wrote about this incident in his book Ashes Diary 2005.
#4 James Faulkner
Another promising Australian all-rounder, James Faulkner, was slapped with a fine of £10,000 (approximately $A21,000) and handed a two-year driving ban in the United Kingdom back in 2015.
This judgment came after the all-rounder admitted to his offense of driving under the influence in the Manchester Magistrates Court. Faulkner, who was flying high after his man of the match award in Australia's World Cup Final win against New Zealand, faced charges after he was involved in a "minor" traffic incident in Manchester on July 2. The cricketer was living in Manchester during that period since he was a contracted overseas player for the county team Lancashire.
#3 Shane Warne
Shane Warne called his life a "soap opera," and he was often involved in several controversies and scandals during his legendary cricketing journey. One incident that garnered a lot of attention was back in 2009 when he was leading the Rajasthan Royals in 2009.
In this match, Warne, while fielding, was caught on TV taking a sip of what looked like beer, offered by a fan in the stands. There was widespread criticism from certain quarters, but the Royals backed their captain. Even the IPL authorities did not escalate the issue. The franchise's then-owner Shilpa Shetty remarked, "Warne is someone who plays hard and parties harder. But he doesn’t drink on the field...".
#2 Ricky Ponting
Back in 1999, former captain Ricky Ponting, who was just beginning to come into his own as a player, was dropped from Australia's one-day team after an incident where he was knocked unconscious in a brawl at a Sydney nightclub.
Ponting addressed the media at the team hotel later that night and acknowledged his issue with alcohol. He also said that he would take advice from the Australian Cricketers' Association to undergo counseling. The right-handed batter received a bruise under his left eye and said that he did not remember anything about the episode.
"I accept the reasons behind that decision," Ponting said during the interaction. "I have to admit to myself I have a problem with alcohol at times and I intend to overcome this problem. At times I drink too much and get into situations I don't want to get into,” he added.
#1 David Warner
In the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, Australia dropped David Warner from their side for the match against New Zealand after an incident at a bar surfaced, where he allegedly attacked England's Joe Root.
While Cricket Australia said it was an alleged "physical altercation," England officials asserted that Warner "initiated an unprovoked physical attack" on Root at a Birmingham bar after England won their match over Australia earlier in a Champions Trophy match.
Warner received a £7,000 fine and effectively served a one-month ban for his involvement in the incident at the Walkabout Bar in Birmingham. Speaking about his alcohol problems and how drinking after the match was very part of the culture of the Australian team early in his career, Warner credited his wife for getting him in line.
“I went two years where I was being called the Reverend, I stopped drinking for two and a half years and really enjoyed that time,” Warner said after his final Test match against Pakistan.