Factual. Independent. Impartial.
Support AAP with a free or paid subscription
Sport
Tom Wark, Scott Bailey and Kat Wong

Cricket legend arrested over mid-range drink-driving

David Warner has been charged with drink-driving after being stopped on Easter Sunday. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

One of Australia's greatest batsmen will face court after allegedly blowing more than twice the legal limit in a random breath test.

David Warner was stopped at a roadside breath testing unit at Maroubra in Sydney's east on Easter Sunday.

Police said Warner was driving a van that stopped and parked short of the testing site.

David Warner
David Warner was charged after allegedly blowing more than twice the legal blood alcohol limit. (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS)

Officers approached the vehicle and breath-tested Warner, who returned a positive result for alcohol, police said.

He was arrested and taken to Maroubra Police Station for further testing. 

The 39-year-old was charged after allegedly producing a blood alcohol reading of 0.104 - more than twice the legal limit.

Warner has been captaining the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League in recent weeks, scoring 50 in their last game in Lahore on April 2.

His stint comes off the back of a record-breaking season in the Big Bash, where he averaged 86.6 for the Sydney Thunder and was named captain of the official team of the tournament.

The Thunder declined to comment on the incident.

Warner was one of Australia's most destructive batsmen until his retirement from Test cricket in 2024, and he has since appeared on the Fox Cricket commentary team.

He hit 8786 runs at an average of more than 44 across his 112 Tests, with a high score of 335 not out against Pakistan.

David Warner
Warner's alleged drink-driving incident could endanger his professional partnerships. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

If found guilty, Warner's alleged drink-driving incident could endanger his professional partnerships.

Cricket NSW and Transport for NSW have maintained a 23-year partnership, which culminated in the Road Safety Cup.

The annual contest, which began in 2023, pits the Brisbane Heat and Sydney Thunder against each other while shining a spotlight on road safety. It is considered one of NSW's most recognisable and effective road safety platforms.

This is not the first time Warner has come under fire during his career.

He was one of the three players suspended after a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa that shook the cricketing world.

Warner also admitted to punching future England captain Joe Root at a nightclub in Birmingham in 2013 after losing the final of the Champions Trophy.

He will face Downing Centre Local Court on the mid-range drink driving charge on May 7.

License this article

Sign up to read this article for free
Choose between a free or paid subscription to AAP News
Start reading
Already a member? Sign in here
Top stories on AAP right now