WARNER WORRY FOR THE AUSSIES
BATSMAN NEEDS FITNESS TEST AFTER PICKING UP NECK INJURY
DAVID WARNER is set to undergo a fitness test tomorrow after a neck injury made him a doubt for the first Ashes Test.
The Australia vice-captain, one of his team’s star batsmen alongside skipper Steve Smith, did the damage taking a high catch during fielding practice at The Gabba and was able to face only two deliveries in the nets.
Warner will have more treatment and appears confident he can play — “I don’t think a sore neck is going to keep me out” — but the news sent a shiver through an otherwise bullish Australia team.
Warner and Smith will be expected to score most of the runs for the home side, whose selection has been criticised by former players. The other members of the probable top six — Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh — have 11 Test centuries between them, compared with the 40 Warner and Smith have compiled jointly.
Warner said: “My neck is quite stiff. I took a high ball and something just twinged. I’m getting a bit of physio and, hopefully, it settles down over the next 24 or 48 hours.
“I’ll try and have a hit tomorrow. I might have to work on my technique a little bit more. It’s quite sore. I haven’t really had a stiff neck like this one. I’ll get some treatment tonight, get some heat packs on there and, hopefully, it’s better tomorrow.”
England have still to settle on their batting order, with captain Joe Root pondering whether to use Moeen Ali or Jonny Bairstow at No6.
In the absence of Ben Stokes, it had been expected that Bairstow and Moeen would each move up a place, though England may choose to leave Bairstow at No7.
Jake Ball is expected to take the final pace-bowling spot after recovering from his ankle injury, meaning Craig Overton would be forced to wait a little longer for his Test debut.