Warner to join St Lucia for CPL 2018

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https://www.wisdenindia.com/cricket-news/warner-join-st-lucia-cpl-2018/300546

 

David Warner will join St Lucia Stars as a replacement for D’Arcy Short, it was confirmed on Saturday (June 16). Short will be unable to participate in the tournament due to his selection in Australia A’s squad for the tour of India which coincides with the Caribbean Premier League 2018.

This is Warner’s second signing in a T20 League following the ball-tampering episode in South Africa in March, which resulted in him – along with Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft – getting penalised with a 12-month suspension by Cricket Australia.

The former Australia vice-captain had earlier signed up with Winnipeg Hawks to play in the inaugural Canada Global T20 League, which is scheduled from June 28 to July 15.

Warner and Smith were handed with 12-month suspensions by Cricket Australia for their involvement in ball-tampering during the third Test in Cape Town during their four-match tour of South Africa, while Bancroft was given a reduced nine-month sentence. Apart from international cricket, the trio is also disallowed from competing in top-grade domestic cricket in Australia, but remain free to play in overseas leagues. However, Warner and Smith were also barred from participating in the Indian Premier League 2018 in an independent decision by the IPL’s governing body.

This is Warner’s maiden signing in the CPL. He brings a wealth of experience in the shortest format, having raked up 7668 runs, including six hundreds, from 243 games, 70 of which he has played for Australia.

St Lucia Stars will play their first game of the 2018 edition against Trinbago Knight Riders, the defending champions, on August 8.