Australian all-rounder Cameron White has slammed Cricket Australia for letting off West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels with only a reprimand, following his ugly spat with Shane Warne during a match in the Big Bash League earlier this month.
While, the Victorian captain who played in the match between Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades when the incident took place, was disappointed with Cricket Australia's decision and termed the judgment "remarkable".
"Remarkable, isn't it? I don't how many times have you seen someone throw their cricket bat and get off (with) a fine because they were provoked?" White said.
"Interesting one but I've never seen it before. That's out of our hands and that's what the judiciary came up with.”
Cricket Australia fined Warne US $4500 and suspended him for one match for verbally abusing him, but the West Indian, who had launched his bat mid-pitch, was handed only a reprimand as he was subjected to "extreme provocation" during a hearing on Monday.
White felt Samuels should have got a severe punishment.
"It's just one of those things in the heat of the battle. Being provoked, I don't think you can use that as an excuse."
White said he is not liked by Australian cricketers because of the way he conducts himself on the field.
"I don't think he (Samuels) is very well liked, not just from the Stars' point of view, but in Australian cricket. People think he carries on a bit. (It's) because of the way he conducts himself on the field," White said.
Later during the match, Samuels suffered a severe facial injury after being hit by a ball from Lasith Malinga, and the Sri Lankan pacer was the only Stars player to check on him, but White said it was not deliberate.
"No, I don't think that's got much to do with it, to be honest, we had a semi-final to play, there's probably a few reasons but we were quite busy," White said.
Samuels is suspected to have suffered a fractured eye socket and it seems he has been ordered by doctors to remain as still as possible to avoid the chance of permanent damage to his vision.
Image: Marlon Samuels of the Melbourne Renegades throws his bat in front of Shane Warne of the Melbourne Stars in a heated exchange with during their Big Bash League match.
Photographs: Michael Dodge/Getty Images
