David Warner walked off the field in protest over a “sledging incident” during a grade cricket match, according to reports in Australia.

The 32-year-old batsman is currently serving a 12-month ban handed down by cricket Australia for his part in the ball-tampering scandal on the tour of South Africa earlier this year.

Warner is banned from playing international and state cricket in Australia but is allowed to play grade cricket in his homeland.

According to cricket.com.au, Warner – who was playing for Randwick-Petersham in a NSW Premier fixture on Saturday – left the field after taking issue with a sledge directed his way.

It is understood that Western Suburbs player Jason Hughes – the brother of Warner’s former teammate Phillip, who died in 2014 after being struck on the field while batting – was the player who sledged Warner. It was reported that what started as Hughes daring Warner to take on the bowling and risk being dismissed turned personal.

Warner, on 35 at the time, left the field for a few moments before walking back out to the middle to continue his innings.

Western Suburbs were apparently happy for Warner to continue batting despite him leaving the playing arena.
The next batsman in had not walked over the boundary and the game continued.

Warner went on to make 157, his second century of the NSW Premier cricket season, and it was reported that several Western Suburbs players congratulated him as he exited the field.

Neither Warner nor any other players made any comment on the incident after play had ended.