David Warner's wife says the batsman walked off the field mid-innings while playing for Randwick-Petersham because he was taken aback by "hurtful" comments made by the brother of the late Phillip Hughes.

The Australia opener is serving a 12-month ban from international and domestic cricket for his part in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa and was involved in another controversy on Saturday.

Warner left the middle with 35 runs to his name while playing in a NSW Premier Cricket clash with Western Suburbs on his 32nd birthday.

The former Australia vice-captain returned after only a brief time on the other side of the ropes and went on to make a second century of the season.

Candice Warner revealed that her other half took a stance over remarks which she says came from Jason Hughes.

She told Channel 9: "I'm not going to go into the details, however, David was taken aback by the comments and thought they went a bit too far, so he decided to remove himself from the game. 

"Everyone has their own opinion, but I think there is a difference between sledging and abuse. 

"I think he removed himself because he first of all didn't like what he was hearing and where that could have been taken. It was very hurtful."