Candice Warner calls out Cricket Australia over Tim Paine scandal

Candice Warner has accused Cricket Australia of double standards over its handling of the Tim Paine sexting scandal.

Paine is still available for selection for Australia for the upcoming Ashes series against England, despite stepping down as captain when historic lewd messages he sent were made public last week.

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Paine resigned as Test captain when sexual messages he sent a female employee at Cricket Tasmania in 2017 were published.

The 36-year-old was cleared of any code of conduct breaches after an investigation at the time, but fell on his sword on Friday when the scandal became public knowledge.

Cricket Australia has since revealed it was aware of the issue in 2018 when Paine was made captain in the wake of the sandpaper scandal.

Weighing in on the scandal on Wednesday, David Warner's wife Candice accused the governing body of showing double standards.

“They’re basically saying that it’s not okay for an Australian cricket captain to send these messages, but it’s okay for an Australian player,” Warner said on 2GB radio.

“As a wife of an Australian player, that is slightly concerning and it does make me worry.”

Warner provided an insight into how the Australian dressing room is dealing with the scandal.

“They’re really focused on the first game,” she said.

“I think there are reports that the players are getting around and supporting him, but it’s also about supporting his family through a really difficult situation.”

The high-profile WAG also opened up about the possibility of Paine being sledged by the Barmy Army if he manages to retain his place in the side.

Both David and Candice have first-hand knowledge of being targeted by England's infamous band of supporters.

“I don’t know how Tim Paine will handle it, or if he will have to handle it,” Warner said.

“But in regard to David and myself, you’ve got to look at it in a certain way.

“I know David looks at it as ‘if they’re singing about me (David), they’re worried about me’.

“So David uses it as a fuel to fire him up and get going. It is how you want to take it. It can affect people.”

Michael Clarke takes aim at Cricket Australia

Warner's comments come after Michael Clarke also took issue with Cricket Australia on Wednesday.

“I don’t get it,” Clarke said on Big Sports Breakfast.

“If Cricket Australia were there telling him he had no choice, then he should’ve stood there and said: ‘Listen, that’s on you. You guys sack me, go for it but I gave you this information four years ago. I handed it to you, I was open, I was honest, I was straight and I was cleared’.

“Just because it’s the public, the rules of engagement are different? I don’t think so.

"It seems to me Cricket Tasmania are saying exactly that, hang on, you cleared him four years ago.”

Clarke said CA would be "looking for 15 years" if they want some with a squeaky clean record to take over as Test captain.

“Go back in my time even to Ricky Ponting. If that’s the case, he never would have captained Australia,” Clarke said.

“He had a punch up in the middle of a Bourbon & Beefsteak. Are you not going to give him the job because of that?

“He’s a great example. He’s shown you how time, experience, maturity, playing at the highest level and even the captaincy turned him around.

“Where is the backing of the player as well? You’ll be looking for 15 years, we won’t have a captain.”

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