David Warner facing the same questions...
Mr. Warner, please consider "defending straight and scoring square."
The great cricket writer and author Gideon Haigh once mentioned that if the news week was slow or deadlines were tight, there would always be a David Warner column to write.
He offered this genuinely and did not infer any triviality towards Warner.
So it’s time to dip my own toes in the Warner puddle before it’s too late.
I’m guessing you might have read something similar this week.
“David Warner says he wants to finish his illustrious Test career in January, with a home Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).”
Firstly, before we get to any opinions, that sentence needs some unpacking. It was ‘borrowed’ from one of the many columns written since Warner finally made his Test career intentions public—and the other two formats.
It went like this:
Warner laid out his preferred retirement plan in three stages. As mentioned, the SCG farewell to the baggy green. Secondly, the one-day exit after the 50–over World Cup in November. And, eventually, the gold watch after completing the T20 World Cup in June 2024. What can go wrong in 12 months?
If he makes it to the ‘gold watch’, Warner is likely to be the last Australian cricketer to play all three formats—assuming Steve Smith does not return to T20 international cricket.
Warner sparred playfully with reporters this week when quizzed on his exit strategy ahead of the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval.
"That's pending on what you guys write and whether the selectors pick me," he told the assembled press.
The 36-year-old added, "You've got to score runs. I've always said the T20 World Cup would probably be my final game."
November 2024 looks a long way off when you consider the continuous nature of the current cricket schedule and his current form.
Nevertheless, back to unpacking the sentence: "David Warner says he wants to finish his illustrious Test career in January, with a home Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)."
‘He wants.’ This could have been taken out of context, or it could be Warner's street-learnt vocabulary at work. Either way, there is no doubt an inference of petulance in the tone.
The delicate balance of reconciling realism and expectation lies at the heart of his struggles. It is a challenging dilemma with no easy resolution to unravel.
Warner must feel a sense of grievance towards his masters, those masters he has served so loyally on the field.
In return, Cricket Australia handed down a 'leadership ban' after the Sandpaper-gate fiasco. Warner was condemned to be a soldier until the end, stripped of any aspirations to lead.
Little wonder he might feel isolated.
Warner is not without blame, either. Sandpaper-gate was a debilitating debacle, no doubt. And it’s worth noting he was embroiled in an ugly undercurrent that had permeated the series. The South African team overstepped the mark, as did Warner. No one needs to be reminded of Warner's abrasiveness; these emotions are never far from the surface, whether with bat in hand or marshalling in the field.
So, ‘he wants’ might be his way of saying, ‘he wishes,' and the outcome of those wishes should be determined by Warner himself.
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The realism is:
Warner is batting on ice as thin as the line between modern-day right and wrong.
He must summon absolute clarity of mind. The legs that hold him upright will need to move in cohesion with his upper half. Synching these two parts is integral to him succeeding in this series.
In my humble opinion, timely footwork is the most underrated component to consistent batsmanship. Top and bottom halves arriving simultaneously will lead to more consistent contact points. A consistency Warner has been missing.
I mean, really, think of this: If your bottom half stops moving when South African Anrich Nortje is bowling rockets at you, you have little hope. Warner won’t need reminding of the double hundred he made late last year at the MCG against Nortje and co. (In his last ten Tests, Warner averages just 17.53 if you omit that innings.)
So, if—a big IF at that—if I were Michael DiVenuto, I would be pinning this one line on Warner’s sleeve.
‘Defend straight and score square.’
Now is the time for effectiveness and efficiency, not playing to your whims.
The straight driving can go; instead defend those balls. Look for a shorter length, trust your eye, pounce on anything above the stumps. Warner must win the Broad match up, for his team, and himself.
Broad is a tall bowler and one who has historically bowled a ‘through-the-waist’ length.
Last time out in Australia — when he was selected — Broad flat out refused to bowl a full length; in fact, both he and Anderson sought economy protection in their shorter lengths. Warner must be quietly praying they seek the same comforts.
Sadly, I fear not with Captain Stokes on the field. So patience and straight defence have to be in play for Warner.
And the expectation:
‘He’s as stubborn as a Mexican mule, and as proud as an Italian grandfather.’
Coach Andrew McDonald has a devilish job in moving the Warner mindset to a role player in this Ashes series. If McDonald can persuade Warner to focus solely on the Broad match up and less on his holistic wants, I believe this will go a long way towards resetting his current batting patterns. At this level, parking egos can be as tricky as parking a Hummer on Chapel Street.
Selectors, George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide, have made it crystal clear there are no safety nets in place for Warner now—he is out there swimming with the sharks—I say, this is the best place for him.
If he can navigate the Ashes and Broad, the rest will be a walk in the park, and he might just get his gold watch.
Very good insight Nick. There will be some big ego stories this English summer.