Reuters/Melbourne

The hotheaded 26-year-old was expected to debut for Randwick on Saturday, but pulled out, citing a need to hit the nets for some practice.

Warner, who posted a photo of himself in boxing gloves with a fitness trainer on Twitter on Saturday, was spotted the same day at a horse racing meeting at Sydney’s Randwick racecourse, according to local media reports.

Warner was hauled before Andrew Johns, chief executive of Cricket New South Wales, yesterday to explain the no-show.

“Cricket NSW reinforced that its expectation, as well as players’ contractual obligation, remains that individuals play grade cricket when fitness and state commitments permit,” the state governing body said in a statement on its website (www.cricketnsw.com.au).

Warner was given a suspended one-match ban, meaning he would miss either a Sheffield Shield match or a domestic one-day fixture for New South Wales for another offence, but also ordered to turn up for Randwick for the following two Saturdays, and a third if his state one-day commitments permitted.

The 22-test lefthander would also have to make two visits to other grade cricket clubs to promote a state government campaign to discourage people from drink-driving, the statement said.

Warner was left out of Australia’s limited overs squads touring India for a Twenty20 international and a seven-match one-day series starting Sunday, and his international career remains precarious after a number of disciplinary offences.

Warner was stood down after punching England batsman Joe Root at a Birmingham nightspot in the leadup to the Ashes and missed out on the first two tests.

That came three weeks after a highly-publicised Twitter rant against two Australian journalists which led to a fine and a dressing down from national governing body Cricket Australia.