- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Australia coach Andrew McDonald has talked up David Warner’s spot for the start of the Ashes following months of speculation about the veteran opener’s future.
The 36-year-old Warner endured a rough time in India earlier this year, struggling during the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar series before returning to Australia with a fractured elbow.
Warner’s Test form had already dipped, with his spectacular Boxing Day double century against South Africa his only ton since January 2020.
McDonald and selectors George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide were hesitant to lock-in Warner after India.
But leaving mid-tour, with Travis Head filling in admirably but viewed by coaches as an Asia-only opener, might have saved the dashing left-hander.
David Warner walks off after he was dismissed by Mohammed Shami. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
“We’re optimistic with what Dave’s got left,” McDonald told SEN.
“We’ve picked him in the squad, and we feel that he’s going to play a really significant part in the Ashes and the World Test Championship final. That’s why he’s on the plane.
“We think he’s got some good games left in him.
“He’s clearly in our plans. He’s ready to go and we’re in constant contact with him.
“He knows exactly where he sits with us, and internally we’re really settled around what we need to do and how we’re going to go about it.”
Warner will face up to India in the World Test Championship final, before potentially facing his old nemesis Stuart Broad in the opening two Tests of the Ashes.
In 2019’s Ashes in England, Warner averaged just 9.50 across the five-Test series as he was found wanting in the seaming and swinging conditions.
“He can draw on some positive experiences in England,” McDonald said.
“In 2015, I think it was eight half-centuries and he averaged mid-40s.
“So, he’s had success there. It’s not as though he hasn’t had success in those conditions.
“We’re backing him to draw on everything that he’s got. Leading into the Boxing Day Test the doomsday people were out there as well.”
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh has joined Josh Hazlewood under an injury cloud heading into the World Test Championship final.
The West Australian suffered a minor adductor strain in the IPL while Hazlewood was sent home early from India with side soreness.
McDonald said he was confident both players would be fit for the WTC final on June 7 at The Oval as the push grows for Queensland bowling all-rounder Michael Neser to be added to the original 17-man squad that was chosen for the clash with India and the first two Ashes Tests.
He said Neser’s county form with Glamorgan has been “very impressive”.
Michael Neser bowls for Glamorgan as Steve Smith looks on for Sussex. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
“It’s not surprising though as we know what he can do. He had an outstanding Sheffield Shield year last year, I think it was 40-odd wickets averaging less than 20.
“The more impressive part is probably his batting in the back half of his career, he’s really pressing to be a genuine all-rounder in his own right.
“He’s probably not a top six, batting all-rounder, but definitely a number seven or eight that can make handy runs and he got 100 a couple of nights ago.”
Cameron Green has chosen the perfect time to unveil his full repertoire of allround brilliance, excelling with the bat, ball and in the field as Mumbai Indians motored ever closer to the IPL final.
But even the Australian allrounder was happy to play a supporting role to a remarkable spell of pace bowling by teammate Akash Madhwal, who delivered astonishing figures of 5-5 as the Indians crushed Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL ‘eliminator’ by 81 runs in Chennai on Wednesday.
There was, though, only disappointment for Green’s fellow countryman Marcus Stoinis, whose best efforts to emerge as the top Aussie allrounder for Lucknow were ended in accident-prone fashion with a careless run-out.
It was Green’s dazzling hundred which had propelled Mumbai into the knockout stages of the event at the last gasp on the weekend, and the 23-year-old once again looked for every cent like the “three-and-a-quarter million dollar man” that the five-time winners had invested so lavishly in.
First, coming in at No.3, he set Mumbai on their way with a brisk 41 off 23 balls, featuring six fours and one murderous pull for six over square leg, before he was bowled by Naveen-ul-Haq, who did most to restrict Mumbai to 8-182 after they’d elected to bat.
Then Green produced three excellent overs that went for just 15 and was unlucky not to prise Stoinis out with the first ball he bowled to him as the Lucknow batter got away with a horrible skyed miscue that just evaded an slow-starting fielder.
Stoinis took advantage of the reprieve to move to 40 off 27 balls and looked to be the Super Giants’ last hope as wickers tumbled around him.
But he was guilty of ball-watching when going for a second run and getting run out at the striker’s end after bumping mid-wicket into his partner Deepak Hooda.
Green, who’d earlier taken a catch, then produced two terrifically sharp pieces of ground fielding to help ensure the calamitous run-outs of Krishnappa Gowtham and Hooda.
Then Madhwal, who’d struck in just the second over to remove Prerak Mankad, dismissed Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran in successive balls in the 10th over, and sealed the game by bowling Mohsin Khan to finish with the best figures by any bowler in this edition of the IPL.
“Madhwal has been the game changer for us; five today, and got four-for the other day. He has been awesome. The moment he came, we realised he is special,” said an admiring Green.
He wasn’t the only Australian providing significant contributions for Mumbai, who’ll next face defending champions Gujarat Titans on Friday with the winners advancing to Sunday’s final against Chennai Super Kings.
Opening bowler, left-armer Jason Behrendorff, took 0-21 off his three overs while Tim David scored a one-a-ball 13, took a catch and pulled off a run-out.
England have added uncapped Worcestershire seamer Josh Tongue to their squad for next week’s Lord’s Test against Ireland.
The 25-year-old has been drafted in as cover due to injury concerns over James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, both of whom remain with the group but are highly unlikely to be risked ahead of the start of the Ashes next month.
Tongue has impressed at county level over the past couple of seasons and was discussed by selectors for the initial squad, only for a minor side strain to count against him.
That has now cleared sufficiently for him to get the call as back-up to the anticipated pace attack of Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts.
With Jofra Archer ruled out for the summer and Olly Stone also sidelined again, Tongue’s elevation thrusts him into unexpected contention for the hotly anticipated series against Australia.
It will not have escaped England’s attention that Tongue was the man who brought an end to Steve Smith’s first innings on overseas duty with Sussex, winning a marginal lbw call that left Smith shaking his head in resignation.
Tongue made his England Lions debut on tour in Sri Lanka earlier this year, taking eight wickets including a first-innings haul of 5-76 in Galle.
Anderson says he has recovered from a groin injury and will be fit for the first Ashes Test against Australia next month.
England’s leading bowler in Tests with 685 wickets, Anderson suffered the injury playing for Lancashire last week.
“Yes, definitely,” Anderson, 40, told the UK Telegraph on Wednesday when asked if he would be fit for the opener against Australia at Edgbaston on June 16.
“I have no issues running and bowling again and just keeping my fingers crossed I can carry on going as I have been and will be ready for the Ashes. The idea is to try and step it up here at Lancashire over the next couple of days and then meet up with England on Sunday and see where I get to. I am in the squad for the Ireland Test but we have to make a call on that nearer to the time.”
Years since Australia last won a Test series in England. Steve Waugh led the tourists to a comprehensive 4-1 victory in 2001 capped off by one of the most lopsided wins in history at The Oval. The Aussies amassed 4-641 before declaring after tons to Justin Langer, Mark Waugh and Steve Waugh, on one leg due to a calf injury, and then bowled the hosts out for 432 and 184 to win by an innings and 25 runs with Shane Warne taking 11 wickets.
On This Day …
May 25 – In 1868, the first Australian team to tour England played its first match against Surrey. The all Indigenous squad, managed by former NSW first-class player Charles Lawrence, lost by just seven runs. They played 47 two-dayers on tour, winning 14, losing 14 with 19 drawn.
with AAP
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.