One of David Warner’s former opening partners, Ed Cowan, has backed up Mitchell Johnson’s view that the retiring left-hander should be given the chance to retire after next month’s SCG Test.
Cowan, who has consistently questioned Warner’s spot in the Test team for more than a year due to the NSW 37-year-old’s ongoing form slump, called for Travis Head or Marnus Labuschagne to be bumped up the order when the vacancy is made open.
Johnson caused a firestorm with his recent column in The West Australian which reignited the debate over whether Warner deserves his three-match farewell series against Pakistan based on his Test form.
Cowan, on the ABC’s Grandstand Cricket Podcast, said Johnson was saying what a lot of cricket fans were thinking with his comments about Warner’s struggles and chief selector George Bailey being too close to the players.
“He’s saying what 90% of people in the pub have been thinking and probably wondering why aren’t discussed more,” Cowan said.
“What I didn’t love – I feel like he would have made a more pertinent argument – was the tone. There was a sense of anger or injustice to it.
“But the actual points around selection, statistically David Warner probably shouldn’t be in the best XI, I think most people agree with.”
He said “all the noise from inside” the Australian camp is that they don’t want specialist openers Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris or Matt Renshaw although the Queenslander could get a start down the track when Usman Khawaja retires.
“I still think personally the best person for the job is either Marnus or Travis Head,” Cowan added.
“That allows you to pick your best six batters with Cameron Green and Mitch Marsh in the team batting at five and six, and it reshapes the team. I don’t think Travis Head would be that keen on that but what it does allow is Steve Smith to bat at three, Travis at four and then your two all-rounders.
David Warner is dismissed by Chris Woakes during the Ashes. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
“With Marnus opening the batting, he’s walking out at one for none anyway. David Warner has been a walking wicket for two years now.
“At least he knows when he’s going to bat, he can prepare and go out and bat. It’s not a big leap to go from batting at three to opening the batting.”
Cowan believes Bancroft, after topping the Sheffield Shield run-scorers’ list for the past two summers, should be the next cab off the rank as a specialist opener but the Australian selectors appear reluctant to give him another chance at Test level, perhaps due to his role in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
“I feel as though Bancroft has a huge mark against his name,” he said.
“When the leading run-scorer two years in a row in domestic cricket, the person who has also had some success at Test level and over 10 years has shown a mental fortitude that many would dream of, for him not to be front and centre of selection discussions, externally, as in the team openly talking about Cameron Bancroft, then it’s hard to wonder just in fact where his cards are marked and how.”
Bailey and coach Andrew McDonald have stated that Warner has only been selected for Thursday’s first Test against Pakistan in Perth at this stage although they have given no indication that they are considering denying him the planned farewell at the SCG, nearby where he grew up in Sydney’s east.
U
Roar Rookie
Why is this controversial? Ed is right
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Yeah, but you also said that people, "make up nonsense about his various supposed displays of moral turpitude". What nonsense. It's totally unnecessary to do that when there are so many actual instances of MT. Warner is indisputably the worst-behaved cricketer in Australian history, that he's made so much money from the game *despite* this, plus the incredible fact that he, a barely literate and inarticulate bogan, has been signed to a long-term commentary gig is even more depressing than Taylor Swift getting Time's Person of the Year.
Rocky's Rules
Roar Rookie
I would have given Warner a life ban for the cheating disgrace in SA in 2018 - good riddance to him I say :thumbup:
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
That is the evidence the board composition I have plus you can tell by the tone of Taylors voice that he still thinks he is in charge. The chairman were musical chairs while Sutherland was there and you never heard from them publicly. The interesting thing is how Sutherland come out now he is formally in charge of golf about Moore Park and how he wasn't informed by NSW Labor and they have appointed a former Liberal . AFL is the one sport in the country that hijacks both parties whether its Tasmania or QLD they reign supreme.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
You are absolutely wrong jameswm. Warner is 37. But I read that he's [chorus], "Hitting them well in the nets".
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
a bit harsh. Warner held his tongue with dignity while suspended. Unlike Bancroft. Smithy also spoke up.
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
It’s likely that Cam said a little too much while suspended including alluding to the elephant in the room… that the bowlers too were aware of the altered condition of the ball. How could they not. And now one of those bowlers is the all conquering captain ! To David Warner’s absolute credit he said nothing publically while suspended. There is a lesson in that.
Lawrence
Roar Rookie
I’d have Head 4 now, Smith 5. Head is the better player.
Lukestar
Roar Rookie
Nothing wrong opening with Head.
Boo-urns
Roar Rookie
Warner has a very low approval rating, which is one of the things that makes his "testimonial year" so galling.
Barb Dwyer
Roar Rookie
That's not what was being asked? How do you know it's Sutherland and Taylor. You have to support that statement, not ask who we think are influencing things.
Ben Pobjie
Expert
Like I said.
Kizman
Roar Rookie
"It’s impossible to even watch the Back Page and get a critique of Warner as his wife, a panelist, acts in a PR role for him. The other panelists and guests know that criticising Warner on that show is a total “no go” zone." 100% agree. Ironically thats what started the whole feud with Mitch and Warner. Its a pretty clear conflict of interest when you have Candace on there, who cant give objective or neutral analysis (I remember she got really pissed at Dan Ginnane when he questioned why Dave was still in the test team). I agreed with Mitch at the time that it looked weird having her on there defending Dave's abysmal test numbers the last few yrs. Not even a conspiracy anymore that Dave has inside info that would completely ruin CA's brand/image, which is why they've kept pandering to him.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
In India definitely has some merit but not Australia or South Africa or even UK / NZ.
Gharner
Roar Rookie
When Cowan says something, it's usually correct. This is no exception.
jameswm
Roar Guru
It sort of depends if you take those words of Warner's at face value, or read between the lines. Those people "making up nonsense" did the latter.
jameswm
Roar Guru
There's also the he's a class player just out of form theory. That doesn't hold water at 36. It's a decline.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Marnus opening with Green at 3. I could live with that.
jameswm
Roar Guru
think he'd (Head'd) be happy opening in the subcontinent
Boo-urns
Roar Rookie
For 2 decades this role was gleefully taken up by Craddock et al.. Ed made the points calmly, and he is right. Nothing to see here.