David Warner

Warner has been with Randwick Petersham for the past five seasons after switching from Eastern Suburbs.

He has rarely been sighted due to state, national and Indian Premier League commitments, but now it is his only way back, the same goes for Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft.

Is it fair the trio can still play while banned from international cricket in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal?

Warner, Australia captain Steve Smith and batsman Cameron Bancroft were punished for the roles they played in the plot to alter the condition of the ball in the Cape Town Test against South Africa in March, with Warner and Smith suspended for a year and Bancroft for nine months.

Hearings over the level-three charges and/or sanctions issued to Smith, Warner and Bancroft are expected to take place — if needed — on Wednesday week.

There remains a possibility the trio will cop their whack and CA will put a full stop to the ball-tampering saga that has already cost the governing body millions in sponsorship and affected TV rights negotiations.

However, it is fading fast.

Warner is understood to be particularly keen to put his case to an independent code-of-conduct commissioner.

With tears rolling down his face, Warner apologised for his part in the cheating and vowed to earn the public's respect again.

He said he now understood that he needed to make changes in his life, and he would be seeking help with that.

An inquiry by Cricket Australia found that Warner came up with the plan to tamper with the ball and then instructed a junior player, Cameron Bancroft, in how he went about it.

Warner said he took full responsibility for his actions, but refused to answer questions about whether other players were involved.

The ball-tampering episode involving Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft has left reputations in tatters and angered and disappointed politicians, fans and former players alike.

Smith, who before the weekend was one of his country's most revered sportsmen, and Warner have both received 12-month bans by Cricket Australia Wednesday for their part in illegal tampering with the ball on day three of the third Test against South Africa.

The incident, which is being investigated by the ICC, came on day four of the first Test between South Africa and Australia in Durban, with the tourists pushing for victory.

CCTV footage from the tunnel at Kingsmead showed Australia vice-captain Warner and De Kock involved in a fiery discussion as players climbed the stairwell to their dressing rooms during the tea break on day four.

The footage revealed Warner being restrained by his team-mates before his captain Steve Smith ushered the opening batsman away.

On their last tour of the subcontinent four years ago Australia suffered a 4-0 whitewash and a disciplinary breach added to their woes.

In what has since been dubbed 'homeworkgate', four Australian players were made ineligible for the third Test following a breach of discipline – Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja failing to complete an assignment from then coach Micky Arthur to put in writing how they could improve having lost the first two Tests heavily.

It's loud, with people cutting holes in the fence to get in at the corner of the ground where there are banks for standing.

During his countless skirmishes with authority did Australia's newest leader imagine this would be his fate? It is now. Nerves? Good luck telling with a bloke who bills by the hour in bravado.

Warner was man of the match for his 109 from 120 balls, his sixth one-day international hundred, which moved Australia to the top of the three-team table.

But he took a blow to his left index finger while fielding and an X-ray has revealed a fracture.