Feels like it's my fault: David Warner's wife on ball tampering row

Candice Warner asserted that she was not making excuses for David's behaviour over the scandal, adding that he was only "protecting me as much as he could and protecting the girls"

Candice Warner, wife of Australia's sacked vice-captain David Warner, holds herself responsible for her husband's role in the ball-tampering scandal, adding that the incident has deeply affected their family.

"I feel like it's all my fault and it's killing me - it's absolutely killing me," Candice Warner said in an interview to Sydney's Sunday Telegraph.

Candice was referring to the confrontation that took place between Warner and South Africa wicket-keeper-batsman Quinton de Kock, during the first Test match in Durban, earlier in March, which seemingly provoked the former Australian vice-captain to plan the infamous step during the third Test.

The brawl happened allegedly after Kock made a distasteful comment about Candice.

The confrontation was so severe that current Australian skipper Tim Paine had to calm Warner down, while batsman Usman Khawaja held him back.

Ultimately, it was former captain Steve Smith who whisked him away from the scene.

"It was just something that I don't believe should have been said ... [it was] out of line. I responded emotionally and regretted the way it played out, but I'll always stick up for my family," The Guardian quoted David Warner as saying.

Candice Warner asserted that she was not making excuses for David's behavior over the scandal, adding that he was only "protecting me as much as he could and protecting the girls (their children)".

Further, two senior Cricket South Africa (CSA) officials were also photographed with three spectators wearing All Black rugby player Sonny Bill Williams face masks during the second Test match, in reference to a reported intimate encounter Candice Warner had had with him before she met David Warner.

"But seeing them wearing the masks, to have people staring and pointing and laughing at me, to have the signs, to have, you know, the songs made up about me, I would have to sit there and cop that," she said.

"Dave would come home from the game and see me in tears in the bedroom, and the girls just looking at their mum, it's been heartbreaking," Candice revealed.

Earlier on Saturday, Warner broke down in an emotional press conference, offering an apology for his role in the ball tampering scandal that shook Australian cricket.