[cricknation_live_score match=”David Warner slams ‘pathetic’ crowds for South Africa vs Australia Test matches”]
- David Warner criticizes ‘pathetic’ crowd at South Africa vs Australia Test matches David Warner has publicly criticized the low turnout for the ongoing South Africa vs Australia Test series, describing the crowd as “pathetic” in a social media post.
- David Warner (Photo by Kelly Defina/) David Warner took to social media on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, to criticize the low attendance at the ongoing Test series between South Africa and Australia, calling the crowd “pathetic”.
- The former Australia opener’s message drew attention to the empty stands seen throughout the series so far.
David Warner criticizes ‘pathetic’ crowd at South Africa vs Australia Test matches David Warner has publicly criticized the low turnout for the ongoing South Africa vs Australia Test series, describing the crowd as “pathetic” in a social media post.
David Warner (Photo by Kelly Defina/) David Warner took to social media on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, to criticize the low attendance at the ongoing Test series between South Africa and Australia, calling the crowd “pathetic”. The former Australia opener’s message drew attention to the empty stands seen throughout the series so far. The first Test at Kingsmead, which has a cacity of 25,000, attracted fewer than 20,000 spectators over five days.
The second Test will be played at St. George’s Park in Gqeberha, which has a cacity of 19,000 spectators and was affected by rain on the first two days. “We keep hearing how important Test cricket is, but where are the fans in South Africa? Empty stands, no atmosphere and we are supposed to believe that the format is flourishing?
You cannot continue to call Test cricket the pinnacle of the game if no one comes to watch it. Harsh reality, but someone has to say it. Pathetic,” Warner wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Why were the crowds so small during these tests? Several factors have been identified that contribute to low attendance. South Africa will conduct testing for the first time in October, a schedule change due to scheduling pressures.
The SA20 league takes up most of January and February, while the IPL begins in March, reducing Test windows to less traditional times of the year. It was also South Africa’s first home Test since January 2025 and first at home since becoming world Test champions. Former England ctain Michael Atherton described the situation as “a worrying sign”, citing the context of the series.
His compatriot Nasser Hussain expressed practical concerns about the day’s experience. “It started on a Friday and continued over the weekend. These are the teams ranked first and second in the world, the first home test match for South Africa since becoming world champions.
There was also the whole context of it being the first Test between these two in South Africa since the infamous [ball-tampering] series of 2018,” Atherton said on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast. “What can we do to make sure that for people who have paid their money, sitting in a cabin on a hot day is actually a nice experience? That they’re sitting there at 5:30 p.m. and were not sent home by 3:30 p.m. because of the bad lighting?
Even in India the crowds are sometimes not full. Pakistan, we went there after many years [without them holding a Test], England were back and they weren’t full. But the people there care deeply about their testing side,” Hussain said on the same show.
What measures have been taken due to the low number of visitors? After the sparsely attended first Test in Durban, the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union (KZNCU) launched a thorough internal investigation into the sparse crowds. The union recognized that the test match deserved greater public support.
“This is something we will reflect on as a union through a thorough internal review and as a cricket community. We must listen to our supporters, reconnect with our communities and continue to find ways to make Test cricket more accessible, engaging and attractive to families and cricket fans of all ages,” KZNCU CEO Heinrich Strydom said recently. Warner himself is no stranger to controversy in South Africa.
He was vice-president during Australia’s tour of South Africa in 2018 and was credited with leading the conspiracy to alter the condition of the ball during the ball-tampering scandal, including instructing his compatriot Cameron Bancroft in the use of the grinder. Warner received a one-year ban and was told he would never be considered for a managerial position with the team again. His recent comments have reignited the debate over the health of Test cricket in South Africa at a time when the host country is the reigning Test cricket world champion.
