Warner works on fitness to slot straight back in
AUSTRALIAN cricket has never needed David Warner more than it does right now and the dashing opener is leaving nothing to chance to ensure he’s in peak condition the moment his ban expires.
There’s plenty who think the 12-month suspension he copped for his role in the balltampering scandal in South Africa in March was excessive but rather than sit around and mope, Warner’s been using every minute to get himself in the best shape of his life.
His 155 not out for Randwick Petersham in his return to Sydney grade cricket last month showed the 31-year-old hasn’t lost his touch with the bat and now he’s joined forces with the same fitness guru who helped make Hugh Bowman the best jockey in the world to make him even better.
While his Australian teammates have been falling to pieces in the current series against Pakistan, Warner has been secretly sweating it out in a Sydney gym under the guidance of Trent Langlands, the same personal trainer Bowman uses to prepare himself to ride wonder mare Winx.
Their chosen sports could hardly be more different but the champion jockey and explosive left-handed batsman have more in common than most think, with both men used to carrying the weight of a nation and both committed to the little one per-centers that separate them from the pack.
“Everything Dave does is very specific. There’s a real purpose behind his training,” Langlands said.
“There’s no doubt he has a real purpose and drive to get back to where he was and that comes through in his training.”
Warner still spends most of his spare time in the nets honing his batting skills but the 31year-old also does two highintensity sessions a week with Langlands, working on his balance and core strength and anything he thinks will give him that edge to ensure Australia’s selectors have no choice but to rush him back in when his ban ends on March 29.
“Dave wants to work on his responsiveness, so he’s doing a lot of footwork drills and agility work,” Langlands said.
“He’s just getting his feet a lot faster.”
The extra work Warner is doing will be music to the ears of Australian cricket fans who have watched as the team has lurched from one batting disaster to the next.