CANBERRA – Disgraced Australia cricketer David Warner’s wife Candice saidshe blamed herself for his part in the ball tempering scandal, adding thatthe taunts they faced in South Africa took a huge toll.

Opening batsman Warner was banned for one year from domestic andinternational cricket over the plot to change the condition of the ball onthe third day of the third Test against South Africa eight days ago.

In a tearful press conference in Sydney yesterday, the 31-year-old spoke ofhis fear that he would never get to represent Australia again as his wifewatched on.

“I feel like it’s all my fault and it’s killing me — it’s absolutelykilling me,” Candice Warner told Sydney’s Sunday Telegraph.

The Test series was already fractious before the ball-tampering affair,with a row between David Warner and Quinton de Kock during the first Testwhich the Australian said was sparked when the South African insulted hiswife.

Two senior Cricket South Africa officials were also photographed with threespectators wearing All Black rugby player Sonny Bill Williams face masksduring the second Test in reference to a reported intimate encounterCandice Warner had with him in 2007 before she met Warner. – APP/AFP