'Suspended' Warner inspired to 'strive for excellence' by 'cricketer-turned-plumber' brother

Suspended Australian opener David Warner has said that he has been inspired not to waste his talent and again strive for excellence by the story of his brother Steve, who was a junior star but quit cricket as a teenager.

Warner's place in the first Ashes Test is in doubt due to his standing down over a nightclub altercation with England's Joe Root in Birmingham last week, with coach Mickey Arthur conceding it will be tough for Warner to play at Trent Bridge with no practice games under his belt, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Although Warner was infamously kicked out of the Cricket Australia Centre of Excellence as a youngster for untidiness, his brother Steve was a New South Wales under-17 representative, touring England in 1996, although he walked away from cricket, and is now a plumber by trade working as a baggage handler with Virgin Australia.

Using Steve's tale as a motivating force, Warner, who now earns millions from his CA contract and various Twenty20 deals and endorsements, said that his brother's leaving the game inspired him to keep training hard and trying to be the best that he can.

Stating that Warner's twin dramas reminded of the time when he delivered some home truths to his younger brother following his eviction from the academy, the elder Warner sibling said that he could not bear the thought of his younger brother joining him digging trenches and throwing away his rich talent.

According to Steve Warner, he gave up the game after two years as it became too much for him, adding that he did not want his younger brother to throw away his career like he did as he is much more talented.

Defending Warner, Steve Warner said that the issue has been blown out of proportion as the cricketer does not have any drinking problem, adding that being a family oriented man, Warner probably got homesick which made him flare-up.

Although Warner is now training furiously to atone for the two disciplinary blips that threaten to cost him a place in the Test side, the report said that his four-year international career is lucrative enough to ensure that he will never have to handle tools for a living even if his latest troubles have jeopardised his Test spot.