So Australian cricket’s wild child has tamed a second-string South African attack in a nondescript match in Pretoria and all of sudden he’s a potential Ashes saviour? Yeah, right.
Surely that says a hell of a lot more about the sheer desperation in the Australian camp than it does about David Warner’s readiness for a return to Test action at Old Trafford next week.
Yes, of course that rousing 193, for Australia A against South Africa A was a timely reminder of what Warner, at his imperious best is capable of.
And God knows he needed it to restore some much-needed confidence after an appalling recent run that (IPL matches aside) reads: 2, 0, 8, 0, 0, 9, 6, 11.
Yes, you could also suggest it more than justified, if belatedly, the decision to pack the controversy-dogged New South Welshman off to the Republic to get his act together.
But, seriously, what has it really achieved?
How on earth do you line up that 193, in a match of that sort, in faraway Pretoria, against a quality innings by one of his top-six rivals back in England?
That’s the dilemma Darren Lehmann and tour selectors now face as a hotchpotch, Ed Cowan-led outfit attempt to revive their flagging fortunes in a three-day match against Sussex at Hove.
Cricket Australia obviously couldn’t have it both ways with Warner, but it’s just a pity he won’t be at Hove to stake a more meaningful Test claim – in English conditions and, unlike South Africa, with a Duke ball in use.
Jermayn
Guest
the longer we leave him out of the test squad the better down the track it will be. Remember Damian Martyn who spent 6+ years out of the test side because of the one rash shot against South Africa, he had to do his penance and so should this hack!
Hookin' YT
Guest
No, No and No to Warner. Amla, Graeme Smith etc dominate Anderson and Swann in recent times and their strike rates are below 60. In his last 7 innings against England Graeme Smith has scored 560 @ 80 at a strike rate of 58-60.
The Bush
Roar Guru
I see South Africa A put on some runs last night too - says a lot about either the ground, pitch or opposition (or a combination of all three)...
Timmuh
Roar Guru
In that list of scores you are including ListA, which is as irrelevent as T20 for picking Test form. Had he not rooted his chances with that punch, he probably would have been an incumbent. Has everyone else done enough to keep him out? He was sent to Africa to get match time and batted for five hours in one innings; that is longer than Australia's first inings at Lords. There is an obvious difference in the quality of the attacks but Warner has done what was asked and I'm not sure the same can be said of the Test side. The fact that is only one innings and Warner's way of play makes him highly inconsistent is a concern. One big innings in a non-competition game isn't really great lead-in, but almost all that was available to him (decent scores in Zimbabwe would have helped). He probably has to come in, but its not a great option and whoever goes out would be unlucky (not based on their own performance, but on not really being any worse tha those who keep their spots - perhaps it is more that they would be lucky to stay simply because there aren't three or four reaistic replacements).
Roge
Guest
Apparently the ground is the size of a handerchief - 3 big hundreds so far in the match. It's a real shame he isn't playing Sussex.