Head knock won’t stop Warner’s Bangla tour

sydney — Australian vice-captain David Warner is expected to be fit for the upcoming Bangladesh tour after retiring hurt when he was struck in the neck by a bouncer during a warm-up match.

The opener was hit by a Josh Hazelwood delivery in a chilling blow Tuesday that saw him drop to his knees and let go of his bat, with captain Steve Smith rushing from slips to check on his deputy. Appearing shaken, Warner removed his helmet and immediatly walked off the field leaving his bat behind.

Cricket Australia’s news site cricket.com.au said the fiery lefthander had passed a concussion test and would be available for the tour of Bangladesh, but would sit out the rest of the intra-squad match in Darwin, Australia’s Northern Territory. “It’s good that Davey’s fine,” Aussie pacemen Pat Cummins said after close of play Tuesday. “He’s a little bit stiff and sore, but just speaking to him then, he’s all fine.”

A focus on player safety has been heightened since the tragic death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes. With the squad set to depart for Bangladesh on Friday ahead of the first Test in Dhaka, which starts on August 27, coach Darren Lehmann expected Warner to board the flight.“He seems alright, walking around the ground today, so fingers crossed he’ll be okay and we’ll get an update in the next day or two,” Lehmann told reporters. — Agencies