Dave dines out on
In just 56 balls, he made more than he made on the Ashes trip
DAVID Warner delivered his birthday best — basking in a maiden T20 international ton, record 134-run victory and forgiveness on home return for Australia against Sri Lanka.
The beaming smile, switch hits and crisp blows over the fence were back as Warner put the pain of his ball-tampering ban and torturous Ashes campaign behind him with a 56-ball century.
There was a double fist pump and kiss of the Australian coat of arms after Warner pushed the last ball of the innings off Dasun Shanaka to point for a deserved century. It continued Warner’s love affair with the ground that has yielded the left-hander three Test and two 50-over centuries.
Warner figured in century stands with skipper Aaron Finch (64, 36) and Glenn Maxwell (62, 28) as Australia feasted on a mediocre Sri Lankan attack with no answer to its relentless aggression and inventiveness. It was the first century T20 stand between Warner and Finch in a prelude to the opening dominance Australia requires to clinch a breakthrough T20 World Cup as host in 12 months.
Australia (2-233) recorded its highest home T20 total and heaviest win while the tourists managed 9-99. It was a lopsided opening to the threematch series which continues in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Australia’s world-class spearheads Mitchell Starc (2-18) and Pat Cummins (2-21) were hostile and accurate in decimating Sri Lanka, for which Shanaka topscored with 17. Impressive spinners Adam Zampa (3-14) and Ashton Agar (1-13) finished off the visitors.
Warner waited four overs to get his eye in before blasting back to form with consecutive boundaries then a power pull into the Sir Edwin Smith Stand off Kasun Rajitha.
Warner would finish with 10 boundaries and four sixes while Rajitha (0-75) conceded Sri Lanka’s most expensive T20 spell.
Warner led the 2019 Indian Premier League aggregate with 692 and averaged 71 in the World Cup before melting in the Ashes. Warner’s birthday ton exceeded his 95-run Ashes output against Stuart Broad’s England. Warner was captain of Australia in his last T20 match in Australia at the MCG in February 2018, but doesn’t need a title to finish his career on a high.
Glenn Maxwell is the No.2 ICC-ranked batsman for a reason and won’t trail Pakistan’s Babar Azam for long following a knock with all the trappings expected of the Big Show.
Maxwell unveiled a revamped open stance which worked for the Victorian, who is anxious to remove any doubts over his capacity to deal with short-pitched bowling.
If Australia wins a World Cup in 2020 or 2021 in India, it will be with Maxwell at No.3. Maxwell can conjure shots and angles others can’t.
Meanwhile, the Adelaide crowd reaction to Steve Smith and Warner suggested the pair had been forgiven, 583 days after the Cape Town balltampering incident.
Smith didn’t bat but Warner was cheered rather than jeered on to a ground in contrast with savage Ashes receptions from English crowds.