Australia's Tim Paine refutes South Africa's version of player spat

By Richard Cooke

Image: Tim Paine insists there is line that Australia would not cross

Australia wicketkeeper Tim Paine has suggested South Africa are not being truthful about the confrontation between David Warner and Quinton de Kock in the first Test in Durban.

South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee said on Monday that Warner had engaged in a personal verbal attack against De Kock on the pitch that involved members of his family.

"That's completely false. At no stage was Quinton's family mentioned, that's 100 percent false," Paine told reporters of the events preceding a flare-up that occurred as the teams left the field for tea on Sunday's fourth day.

"I don't know how their team manager can hear from where he's sitting but from where I was, which was right near the whole time, there was nothing we said that was inappropriate."

David Warner was involved in an altercation with Quinton de Kock during the first Test between Australia and South Africa

Warner was seen on CCTV footage needing to be restrained by team-mates on a stairwell as he launched a verbal volley in the direction of De Kock.

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The Australian vice-captain has been charged with a Level 2 offence by the ICC, which could see him miss the second test in Port Elizabeth that starts on Friday. Australia lead the four-test series after recording a 118-run win in Durban.

De Kock faces a Level 1 charge, which carries the maximum sanction of a fine.

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Image: Warner (left) and De Kock have been charged by the ICC

Paine says there was a line the team would not cross.

"Our stuff is the way we've always played our cricket," he said. "Certainly it's hard, and we like to make them feel uncomfortable out there.

"But we don't cross the line and bring people's wives and family into the cricket game. And we'll continue to do that for as long as we play."

Warner is no stranger to controversy and was nicknamed 'Bull' early in his career. He was suspended in 2013 for punching England batsman Joe Root in a bar.

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