London, Aug 29 (IANS) Australian opening batsman David Warner will continue to enforce a self-imposed booze ban during his team’s limited overs cricket series against England, but said he would have ended it to celebrate if Australia had won the Ashes.
Australia lost the five-match Test series 2-3.
Warner didn’t take any alcoholic drink since prior to the two-Test tour of the Caribbean in May in order to keep his body in peak condition for the Ashes.
But if Australia had been able to retain the Ashes urn, Warner says it would have been a moment worthy of a beer with his teammates.
“It’s been 100 days now so it’s quite bizarre,” Warner was quoted as saying by criket.com.au on Saturday.
I did think I had it in me to do it but it’s about the discipline. I said from the start before I went to the West Indies that I wanted to give myself the best opportunity to get through the West Indies, the Ashes, a home series, to give myself the best opportunity because we have a lot of cricket to play and I’ve got to keep my body fresh and by doing that and by all means.”
The left-hander said Australia’s Ashes defeat poured cold water on all plans he had of ending his booze ban.
“You can celebrate and drink but at the moment I don’t feel we’ve had anything to celebrate. We’ve won a couple of Test matches and you’ve got to enjoy your wins because they’re very rare to come by,” he said.
“Had we won the (Ashes) series I probably would have had a drink. For me it’s about a personal choice and I’m feeling for my body for the longevity of my career so I’ve got try and put myself and the team first.
Warner was also happy for sacrificing drinking for the sake of his career and is particularly proud of it.
“For me to have a good career and a long career I’ve got to sacrifice little things to help the team and my part is to not drink at the moment. By all means I’m not going to stop drinking forever. If I feel there’s a need to have a drink I will.”