Warner gears up for Ashes battle with England
sydney — Australia opener David Warner has fired a salvo ahead of the Ashes against England, likening the series to a “war” and saying the hosts would work up some “hatred” for their opponents to get in the right frame of mind.
Warner also said he did not regret comments he made during the first Ashes Test at the Gabba in 2013 about England having “scared eyes”, adding that he fully expected more words to be exchanged during the coming series. “As soon as you step on that line it’s war,” Warner said on ABC Grandstand. “You try and get into a battle as quick as you can. I try and look in the opposition’s eyes and try and work out ‘how can I dislike this player, how can I get on top of him?’
“You have to delve and dig deep into yourself to actually get some hatred about them to actually get up when you’re out there. History is a big part in this and that is what carries us onto the ground.”
The five-Test series starts in Brisbane on November 23 and Warner said the battle would begin on day one of the first encounter at the Gabba. “Four years ago, during that first Test I made some statements in the media and at the time I thought it was a great thing to come out and speak what I said,” he added, in reference to his comments during the last Ashes held in Australia, which the hosts won 5-0. “At the moment I’m not going to put any vibes out there or get into a verbal stoush... but come day one when we walk out there, there will definitely be some words exchanged. I think the subtle approach these days is how it is and how it goes.” —