Candice Warner has returned fire after Aussie cricket legend Mitchell Johnson took a surprising swipe at her last month.
The former Ironwoman has given Johnson a serve coming just days after the Ashes hero’s declaration that the support she has given her husband David Warner has been “cringe”.
The opening batter’s position at the top of the batting order remains one of the most debated issues heading into the 2023 Ashes Tour in the UK, beginning in June.
The batter was selected in the 17-man squad announced last week and seems certain to be picked for the First Test.
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Appearing as a regular panellist on Fox Sports’ The Back Page last month, Candice said she was surprised David had been “singled out” in speculation surrounding the team.
She then politely bristled when it was put to her by Fox League commentator Dan Ginnane that he needed to start the campaign well.
“Absolutely he does. But so does the whole team,” she said.
“If Dave doesn’t perform in that first Test, who do they bring in that’s better?”
“His form wasn’t great that last Ashes. Stuart Broad had his number I think ten times. So it didn’t look good for him. And he hasn’t performed well over there in the past.
“But who do you put in?”
Johnson then popped up seemingly from out of nowhere.
“We’ve all appreciated Warner’s tremendous career as an opener and what he’s achieved. But that’s not what it’s about,” Johnson wrote in a column for The West Australian.
“His form has not been up to scratch for a while now.
“Warner even had his wife Candice defending him in her panel role on the TV show The Back Page this week.
“Her loyalty might be admirable but it was all a bit weird and cringey when she said if Dave doesn’t perform in that first Test, who do they bring in that’s better?
“I hate that argument. If players were only judged on their previous achievements then Dennis Lillee would still be opening the bowling for Australia and Ricky Ponting would be batting at No. 3.”
Warner has now had her opportunity to address Johnson’s comments in public and has delivered a spicy backhand.
“It doesn’t surprise me because he doesn’t have a lot to do with media anymore and I feel like the only way he gets a headline is by using David’s name,’’ she told News Corp.
“Everyone takes his comments with a grain of salt. They don’t have a lot of merit.”
None of the swirling debate will impact her husband, Candice said last month.
“Mentally he is fine. You never have to worry about where he’s at mentally,” she said.
“I think going to a country where you haven’t performed before there’s always going to be anxiety, and just thinking about Broad.
“I’m sure England won’t make the same mistake as they made out here, leaving Broad out of the first Test. I think that was a huge mistake.
“It’ll be interesting to see them match up and the way England go about their cricket – if they’re as attacking as they have been playing.”
Candice last week accused Cricket Australia of failing to support her husband following the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal of 2018.
Speaking on The Matty Johns Podcast this week, Warner opened up on the lack of player welfare offered to David after they returned from South Africa.
“There was no support. Basically from when we left the hotel in South Africa, David was wiped,” Warner said.
“There was no Cricket Australia official helping him. There was nothing. It’s like basically you fend for yourself now.
“It was basically fend for yourself, see you later. Thanks for your services.
“Probably, we’re going to do our best for you not to ever come back and play cricket for our country again. We’re going to blame you for everything, and that’s what they did.”
