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Warner banned until Ashes

Birmingham - Australia's David Warner has been suspended until the start of the Ashes series and fined after attacking England's Joe Root in a bar, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Thursday.

"@davidwarner31 has been suspended up until the First Test of #TheAshes and fined $11,500," (7 000, $11 000), the federation said on its Twitter account @CricketAus after a disciplinary hearing.

Warner will now miss the rest of title-holders Australia's involvement in the Champions Trophy, starting with their final group game against Sri Lanka at London's Oval ground on Monday, and their two warm-up matches ahead of the Ashes.

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However, he will be available for the first Ashes Test against England at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, which starts on July 10.

The 26-year-old was dropped for Australia's Champions Trophy match against New Zealand on Wednesday, although he did appear as 12th man, after the incident at an Australian theme pub in the central English city of Birmingham at the weekend.

The hearing was the second in three weeks for the explosive opener and has raised concerns about the culture of the Australian cricket team going into the Ashes.

Four players were disciplined on a recent tour of India after failing to submit feedback requested by team management.

All-rounder Andrew Symonds was previously sent home from the World Twenty20 tournament in England in June 2009 after a late-night drinking episode.

CA said Warner had been reported for breaching its code of conduct relating to "unbecoming behaviour" after England complained of an "unprovoked physical attack" on batsman Root in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The latest spat involving Warner comes barely three weeks after he was fined Aus$5 750 over an expletive-ridden Twitter tirade at two Australian journalists.

The incident with Root came after England's comfortable opening 48-run Champiins Trophy victory over Australia at Edgbaston on Saturday.

CA charged Warner with breaching its code of conduct relating to "unbecoming behaviour". He later apologised to Root.

In a statement issued after Thursday's tele-conference disciplinary hearing, CA said: "Cricket Australia (CA) advises that David Warner has been suspended and fined for breaching the Cricket Australia Code of Behaviour.

"At a hearing... Warner pleaded guilty to breaching Rule 6: Unbecoming Behaviour. CA Senior Code of Behaviour Commissioner, The Hon. Justice Gordon Lewis AM, fined Warner $11 500 and suspended him from the remainder of Australia's ICC Champions Trophy campaign as well as the Australian team's two tour matches before the first Ashes Test against Somerset and Worcestershire.

"Warner will be eligible for selection for the first Test."


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