NEW PAIR OPEN WOUNDS AND TURN THE KNIFE
DAVID Warner and Cameron Bancroft’s schooling of England could be the start of a bold new combination for Australia.
Warner has had six opening partners in his Test career but there were signs at the Gabba yesterday that he and Bancroft could become a great pairing.
The 173 runs they piled on to steer the hosts to a bruising 10-wicket triumph early on day five ranks as the second-highest opening stand for the fourth innings in Australian Test history.
They made a potentially tricky target look like cannon fodder.
Both men are tough and uncompromising and their right-hand, left-hand combination appeared to flow like clockwork as a duo.
Warner (87 not out) thrived on the chance to verbally bait England over the Jonny Bairstow headbutt drama, almost notching a hundred.
Bancroft was on the receiving end of Bairstow’s Liverpool kiss, and therefore at the centre of a storm, but he brushed the spotlight aside and fired from both cylinders to post 82 not out.
Australian captain Steve Smith said his new opening pair had made a huge statement.
“They were magnificent,” Smith said.