SYDNEY: Australian opener David Warner said Thursday he regretted not keeping a lid on his outrage but maintained he had to defend himself after his image was used in a report condemning the Indian Premier League.
Warner was speaking for the first time since he was found guilty of breaching Cricket Australia's code of behaviour on Wednesday over a Twitter tirade at two Australian journalists and fined Aus$5,750 (US$5,600).
The explosive opener said he was responding to a piece from News Limited cricket writer Robert Craddock that followed the arrest of Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and two other IPL players for spot-fixing.
Warner said he was "extremely annoyed" that a photo of him playing for the Delhi Daredevils accompanied Craddock's piece that highlighted, in part, corruption and fixing in the IPL.
"Obviously it's disappointing that guys are match-fixing. It's not my place to say why they did do it or why they keep continuing to do it," Warner told reporters in Sydney.
"But for me to have my image related to an article (detailing those issues)... it's the worst thing that can possibly be brought to a cricket player."
But Warner expressed remorse, saying he should have better handled his reaction.
"I'm extremely remorseful of the comments that I made and next time I've got to be a bit more professional with the choice of words I used," he said.
"I think we (Australian cricketers) are a family in a way with the journos being a broader spectrum. We've got to try and keep the fighting in house and not let it go out house.
"If I went the right way about it and gave Robert (Craddock) a call, we wouldn't be in this position today."
When asked if he had damaged his chances of being a future leader for the Australian team, Warner said: "I'm solely focused on the England Ashes tour ahead. I want to concentrate on scoring runs."
Warner leaves this weekend with the Australian team for England for the Champions Trophy (June 6-23) and then the Ashes in July-August.
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