David Warner hits Stuart Broad with brutal comeback after Ashes nemesis’ pot shots at the Aussies
David Warner has hit his Ashes tormentor Stuart Broad with a well-timed wide ahead of England’s 2023 series after the pace bowler repeatedly thrashed the Australian team.
Broad has long enjoyed playing the pantomime villain against Australia and has once again hit the hornet’s nest to set the tone for another fiery series kicking off June 16 in Edgbaston.
He claimed the 4-0 hammer England got in Australia in 2021 had been ‘written off as an invalid run’ due to the Covid conditions under which the teams had to operate.
Broad has also stated he is ready to resume his battle with beleaguered Aussie David Warner after destroying the opener’s 2019 tour of England.
In the past four years, Broad has sacked Warner nine times, seven of them during the 2019 home series alone. During this time, Warner’s average against speed was an astonishingly low 7.22.
Warner has been sacked by Broad 14 times in Test cricket, including seven times in the 2019 Ashes series alone
After averaging just 9.5 against England in 2019, Warner still has plenty of work ahead of him in the 2023 series
Broad has now taken Warner’s wicket 14 times, more than any other Test bowler.
“I’m looking forward to competing with Davey again,” he said.
“He had the upper hand on me for quite a long period of time, and the greatest praise I can give him is the fact that I had to study him and change my style of bowling because of his success.
“He’s someone I really enjoyed playing against. He’s fiery and fiercely competitive, and those kinds of characters also bring out the best in me.’
But as Broad, 36, and fellow Australian tormentor Jimmy Andersen, 40, approach the end of their careers, Warner chirps back: “He has to be selected first.”
Warner has been battling his own battle of late with just one century in his past 32 innings.
Broad said he spent a lot of time studying Warner to figure him out and is looking forward to another Ashes fight
The Aussie opener isn’t ready to call time, however, and has been named in Australia’s 17-man squad for the World Cup final against India that begins on June 7, along with the first two Ashes Tests.
It is speculated that if he fails in that match, his place in the Ashes team could be jeopardized.
After averaging just 9.5 on his last Ashes tour of England and with his recent form in the spotlight, Warner has a mountain ahead of him – despite England boasting a decimated bowling attack.
He revealed that he just intends to stay positive and hopes to find his vintage touch.
“To be honest, I don’t really have any plans, so if he gets selected, I’ll adjust when I get there,” Warner said. “Hopefully this time I can come out and try to score and play in a positive way,” he said.
“I was chosen here for a series to play cricket. No one has spoken to me about any situation. I’m just here as a lead-off hitter to continue my decade-long career.”
Broad and Anderson aren’t getting any younger and Warner has questioned whether his nemesis Ashes will be chosen
Warner and his wife Candice and daughters enjoy some time off at Coogee Beach ahead of the 2023 Ashes
Warner is aiming not only to complete the ongoing Ashes series, but also to continue playing until the end of the next home Test cricket season and take part in the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies and the United States next year. USA takes place.
He is confident his mentality will be more positive compared to last Test summer, which was marred by Cricket Australia’s chaotic attempts to have his captaincy suspended for life.
“It was ridiculous,” Warner said.
“I wanted to put it to bed and they just kept dragging it out and not giving any answers. No one wanted to be held accountable, no one wanted to make a decision. You have an administration where there seemed to be a lack of leadership.
“They could have nipped it in the bud right away, but I get a call on days one, two, three of the test matches and speak to lawyers etc when it wasn’t necessary. I actually felt disrespected by the way I wasn’t able to really have a clear mind to play the game and focus on the game.
“So from that perspective, it wasn’t even like, ‘Oh, let’s stop and get back to this.’ It was nine months, it launched in February [2022]. I was extremely disappointed.’