David Warner

[The Passenger]

When Australian Cricket was at it's zenith, the bowling attack was McGrath, Gillespie, Warne and one of either Kasprowicz or Bichel. Brett Lee had a 13 month stint as permanent 12 Man from memory.

The Zenith lasted for so long it's not really possible to pinpoint one moment. You could possibly take the two 16 match wins (1999-2001 and 2005-2008). Lee played 7/16 in the first but was third leading wicket taker and after McGrath and Warne taking up the two main roles Lee, Miller, Fleming and Gillespie were pretty equal as the third and fourth choice. Lee played 16/16 in the second run of wins.

 

[The_Reaper]

Lee was good at the start and then had some injuries and was carried by McGrath, Gillespie and Warne.

He then got dropped. By 2007 he was a smarter bowler and bowling well but then got injured and had to retire.

 

[The_Reaper]

Very thankfully.

Yep. They would have dropped Bailey.

 

[Dan Cooper]

Warner has been busy making a ton today by the way.

134 not out from 119 balls last I heard.

 

[Dan Cooper]

Warner finished with 139 off 126 balls with 13 fours and 6 sixes. A fair contribution out of an all-out 253.

(Smith 4, Maddinson 33)

 

[matty p]

You'd like to see him make a few more runs before the first test, otherwise Hughes might be the best option. Bailey has clearly stood out as the best option for the middle order, and if he can make a big score in one of the Shield matches before the 1st test he's gotta be a lock, with Hughes and Warner battling for the 2nd opener's spot.

Rogers
Warner/Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Bailey

 

[Dan Cooper]

Rogers
Warner/Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Bailey

That's pretty much how I see it too. I think they'll go with Warner provided he makes a few more runs. Maddinson might be the longshot for #6.

 

[STFU Donnie]

Ken Eastwood is my nomination.

I'll see your Eastwood, and raise you Phil Carlson.

 

[damochandler]

i want to see him score runs against the red ball

 

[STFU Donnie]

Has the novelty of Warner worn off? It seems there are countless batsmen that can do it as he can now. Don't see how he adds value to any of the three teams at the moment.

Three of them are playing for India at the moment. 1/362 off 43.4 overs - bloody hell!!

 

[western royboy]

Three of them are playing for India at the moment. 1/362 off 43.4 overs - bloody hell!!

I watched the first 5 overs of the Indians batting, Dhawan was running at McKay and hacking him everywhere. Two thoughts crossed my mind - we are going to get beat comfortably and this isn't real cricket - a contest between bat and ball, they might as well have used a bowling machine.

 

[STFU Donnie]

I watched the first 5 overs of the Indians batting, Dhawan was running at McKay and hacking him everywhere. Two thoughts crossed my mind - we are going to get beat comfortably and this isn't real cricket - a contest between bat and ball, they might as well have used a bowling machine.

I didn't see any of it. I just checked it out on cricinfo. It seems like it was two 20/20 innings cobbled together. But it has to be said, when batsman are hacking away like that, they need either crap bowling or poor field captaincy. Of course it could be a combination.

EDIT: The 2nd wicket partnership was 186* off 17.2 overs.

 

[Dan Cooper]

I'll see your Eastwood, and raise you Phil Carlson.

There are certainly plenty that rate worse selections than Warner.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

I didn't see any of it. I just checked it out on cricinfo. It seems like it was two 20/20 innings cobbled together. But it has to be said, when batsman are hacking away like that, they need either crap bowling or poor field captaincy. Of course it could be a combination.

The pitch had nothing in it except for extremely true bounce. It was the perfect pitch for just swinging through the line. Early on the only bowler who they had trouble with was Johnson and that because of his pace. McKay and Faulkner don't have that, so on that pitch, like the Indian bowlers, they had nothing..

 

[STFU Donnie]

The pitch had nothing in it except for extremely true bounce. It was the perfect pitch for just swinging through the line. Early on the only bowler who they had trouble with was Johnson and that because of his pace. McKay and Faulkner don't have that, so on that pitch, like the Indian bowlers, they had nothing..

True enough. But good bowling and astute field placing should be able to prevent 186* off 17.2 overs.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

True enough. But good bowling and astute field placing should be able to prevent 186* off 17.2 overs.

A confident batting line-up like India's will take risks easily on pitches like this.

Sometimes it's just luck. I remember the Kiwis taking the Aussies apart a couple of times before the 2007 World Cup.

 

[STFU Donnie]

A confident batting line-up like India's will take risks easily on pitches like this.

Sometimes it's just luck. I remember the Kiwis taking the Aussies apart a couple of times before the 2007 World Cup.

The infamous Hussey captaincy tenure - hands down the worst ODI series Australia has ever had.

 

[Dan Cooper]

Another ton for Warner against the Vics - currently 107 not out.

 

[Run n Spread]

Didn't think he was in too bad form last summer. Lean tour of India but a couple of scores then punching Joe Root stuffed his momentum. Shifting him to 6 didn't really work and it scrambled his technique. He's best as an opener I reckon. Will need a score in the 1st two test or could be gawn.

 

[Dan Cooper]

Didn't think he was in too bad form last summer. Lean tour of India but a couple of scores then punching Joe Root stuffed his momentum. Shifting him to 6 didn't really work and it scrambled his technique. He's best as an opener I reckon. Will need a score in the 1st two test or could be gawn.

Warner was sent home early from England and the official reason provided was "because he's out of form".

I agree Warner is an opener, and like many openers I think that's probably the only place he's comfortable batting.

 

[Wallaby]

I have no idea what the selectors did to Warner last year. he was clearly our best-performed opener leading into the Ashes, and probably our 2nd-best batsman on form over the last year and a half. Why muck about with one of the few good parts of the team?

Ok, he's clearly a bit of a d!ckhead, but the guy can play., He has 3 test centuries - one was to carry his bat through a 4th-innings run-chase - an incredibly rare feat - not his fault we lost. His 2nd hundred was the 5th-fastest in test history - and was on day one, not day 4 chasing runs for a declaration. His 3rd was admittedly on an Adelaide road - but it was against the best bowling attack in the world, and it was at a run-a-ball.

Very rare talent - keep playing the talent - don't try to force him into something he's not.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I have no idea what the selectors did to Warner last year. he was clearly our best-performed opener leading into the Ashes, and probably our 2nd-best batsman on form over the last year and a half. Why muck about with one of the few good parts of the team?

Heading into the Ashes means taking into account India. Of the main two openers on that tour, he was arguably second to Cowan. Over the 18 month lead in you may well be right though. Even then, however, he fails too often. Big scores which come quickly are one thing, but consistency is important as well - perhaps even moreso for an opener than other positions.

That aside, his position is opening, and his record in Australia is damned good. His record outside Australia just as bad (almost Indian like in his home and away difference). That is probably enough to see him start in Brisbane, but he needs Shield runs to make sure of it.

 

[Pykie]

He's absolutely critical to us winning the Ashes back.

One of our only true destructive world class talents when on song.

Hopefully the latest rocket has got him in form.

 

[MisterMarcus]

Ok, he's clearly a bit of a d!ckhead, but the guy can play

That's the point.....he needs to realise that "I'm clearly a bit of a d*ckhead but I can play!" isn't good enough.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

He's absolutely critical to us winning the Ashes back.

One of our only true destructive world class talents when on song.

Ian Bell was the real difference between the two teams in the last series. He's hardly a destructive batsman. Would take someone churning them out like Bell over Dave.