ICC Champions Trophy: Didn't miss David Warner, says stand-in Aussie skipper George Bailey
Australian camp labels David Warner's brawl in Birmingham bar a "minor incident".
Australia's stand-in captain George Bailey termed David Warner's bar brawl with England's Joe Root as a "minor incident that is being dealt with internally."
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The explosive Australian opener is being investigated over claims of an unprovoked attack on the 22-year-old from Yorkshire after Saturday's loss against England at Edgbaston.
After the ICC Champions Trophy Australia versus New Zealand group A match here was abandoned due to rain, the post-match press conference centred on just one topic: Warner.
Kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum was guarded but Bailey, in spite of Cricket Australia orders, managed to fend off media queries as best as he could. He jokingly said: "This is the best defending I have done in English conditions."
While McCullum said it did not matter to New Zealand whether Warner played or not, the Kiwi captain added: "Don't want to speak about it since there is no concrete evidence."
Bailey said Australia "were very comfortable and very easy without Warner" and "situation (of winning the match against New Zealand) was bigger than this."
Australia are struggling for form in this tournament and have just one point from two games. New Zealand lead group A with three points from two matches while England have two points from one game.
Bailey said Warner "didn't have a short fuse" and called the batsman as "very generous and giving person." The Aussie skipper said Warner was in "normal" mood in the dressing room on Wednesday.
The English cricket Board said Warner had apologised for an "unprovoked physical attack". In a statement, the ECB added: "Following a full investigation, the England team management has concluded that the England player was in no way responsible for nor retaliated to the attack.
"Warner has admitted behaving inappropriately and has since apologised to the player involved who has accepted the apology. ECB has concluded that this is a matter for Cricket Australia and have no further comment to make."