Warner feels heat after third failure
DAVID Warner’s nightmare return to Test cricket has put the one-time dynamo in the crosshairs after a Lord’s failure undid a day of brilliant bowling from his teammates.
Bowled by Stuart Broad for just three late in the day, Warner took his run tally to 13 in this Ashes campaign, having lasted only 39 balls in three innings after two single-figure efforts in the first Test at Edgbaston. The 32-year-old, who was a powerhouse in the World Cup after his 12-month ban, was out to Broad for the third straight time. His pursuit of a first-ever hundred in England will have to go behind the pursuit of a double-figure score in the series.
Warner and fellow opener Cameron Bancroft had an hour to bat after Australia rolled England for 258 following a bold decision from captain Tim Paine to bowl when he won the day-two toss. Left by his partner, Bancroft survived a withering first spell in Test cricket from Jofra Archer.
A shortened match was key to the aggressive decision to bowl first knowing the only way to win, and go up 2-0, was to take 20 English wickets, a job made easier if they got to work at that first.
Josh Hazlewood was impeccable from the outset and took the first three English wickets including opener Jason Roy with just his third ball having been reinserted into the team at the expense of James Pattinson.
Roy, who could struggle to see out the series, wafted at his first ball, played and missed his second, then edged the third to Paine behind the stumps.
England was 3-96 when Hazlewood dismissed Joe Denly with a perfect delivery after lunch and the home team could have been in all sorts if not for two dropped catches, both off the bowling of Peter Siddle.
But England’s luck didn’t last and they were 6-138 when both Pat Cummins (3-61) and Nathan Lyon (3-68) got in on the action.
Cummins was as brutal as Hazlewood was brilliant too, bowling a menacing spell of short stuff.
England’s top six average of 26.07 runs-per-dismissal in Test cricket this year is its worst since 1950.