Dash for Warner in Darwin
DAVID Warner was back among the runs after a nightmare few months, finishing just short of a century in the NT Strike League.
The former Australian vicecaptain, suspended from first class cricket until the end of March over the ball tampering scandal in South Africa, struck 93 off 139 balls playing for the City Cyclones.
He looked largely untroubled by the Desert Blaze bowlers and seemed set for a century until he was removed thanks to a sharp catch from wicketkeeper Karl Mayn from the bowling of Dean Enniss.
Warner was due to play against his fellow suspended teammate Cameron Bancroft yesterday but the latter was ruled out after getting injured while making 62 runs when a ball hit him in the throat on Saturday.
Bancroft was cleared of serious injury but spent the night in Royal Darwin Hospital as a precaution after scans showed a tear to his trachea. He was discharged and the injury is expected heal naturally.
Warner is intent on returning to Australia’s Test team and playing in the 2019 World Cup when his suspension is over.
“One hundred per cent, if they select me. I’ll be putting my hand up as much as I can,” he told reporters in Darwin.
“If I didn’t love it I wouldn’t be here. I’d probably retire but I’m enjoying it; I love it and have still got plenty of fuel in the tank.”
Warner is only in Darwin for the weekend while Bancroft is in town for the whole tournament.