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The real reason Cameron Bancroft 'threw David Warner under the bus'

Cameron Bancroft has responded to criticism from Ricky Ponting and Michael Slater over his controversial Boxing Day interview in which he ‘threw David Warner under the bus’.

Bancroft made his return to Sheffield Shield cricket on Saturday in Western Australia’s clash with NSW.

It was his first taste of Shield cricket since his nine-month ban for the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal ended in December.

Ahead of taking the field, Bancroft spoke to ABC Radio in a wide-ranging interview in which he discussed the criticism he’d received from the Aussie legends.

When his ban ended on December 28, Bancroft sat down with Adam Gilchrist and spoke about the sandpaper saga, stating Warner had instructed him to tamper with the ball.

Those comments, as well as the fact that the interview had aired in the middle of the Boxing Day Test, didn’t sit well with Slater and Ponting, the latter saying Bancroft had ‘thrown Warner under the bus’.

Cameron Bancroft returned to Sheffield Shield on Saturday. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Cameron Bancroft returned to Sheffield Shield on Saturday. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

But Bancroft hit back at those sentiments on Saturday.

“At the end of the day, my ban actually finished on the 28th of December, right in the middle of the game,” Bancroft said.

“I find it hard to understand a little bit because I was going to have to speak at some point.

“The other thing that I was really passionate about is that I didn’t just want to talk for the sake of talking.

“The game in general and life in general…there are messages far greater than just yourself to portray.

“I felt like I had some really important learnings that I wanted to share…because I felt like there were some really powerful lessons in my journey that I wanted others to connect and share with.

“If other people were triggered by that, I guess that’s their battle to face.

“If was able to touch people through some parts of my journey and to help them… that was my sole intention for that.”

Ricky Ponting and Michael Slater. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Ricky Ponting and Michael Slater. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Bancroft also said Warner wasn’t resentful of the interview.

“I’ve spoken to Dave,” he said.

“All of us, including Dave, have all been really challenged through this period of time.

“And I know that all three of us have really stuck by each other and looked after each other well.

“You can’t understand the trauma that I felt. It was probably very different to the trauma that he felt and I probably can’t understand that.

“I guess moving forward there will be great lessons for all of us, including Dave.”

‘Quite shocking’

Ponting criticised Bancroft’s decision to speak during the Boxing Day Test.

“I’m not sure how happy the players would be about it or Cricket Australia, because it’s a pretty special moment in Australian cricket on a day like today. So, we’ll see what the reaction is,” he said.

“Some of the things that have been said have been quite shocking to me.

“We’re nine months on from this stuff and there’s still a lot being spoken about what happened in Cape Town.

“I was disappointed with a few things and I don’t think he had to say some of the things he had to say.

David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

“Even the way he presented himself in that interview … he’s trying to rebuild his brand and that sort of thing, and I think some of the things he’s had to say have actually done more damage to his brand than what had happened before.”

Slater said Bancroft had ‘buried’ Warner.

“In those comments, he’s buried Warner,” Slater said.

“They had the chance way back when it happened to tell the truth about the situation.

“There’s no use now coming back and saying something different that was said then.

“They all collectively said as that little group that ‘we’re all involved’ and now they’re saying something very different.

“I don’t want to hear it. I know there’s an element of the public that now like to get to the bottom of it, but in terms of a respectful comment on Dave Warner, there’s been none of that.”