Sydney: England paceman Stuart Broad has pinpointed David Warner as Australia’s danger man in the upcoming Ashes series, while admitting a begrudging respect for his aggressive mentality.
The pugnacious opener fired up the tourists last month by comparing playing against England to ‘war’ and said he planned to take ‘some sort of hatred’ into the Tests, which start in Brisbane, November 23.
“I think someone like Warner you’ve got to try bowl a lot of balls at him with the new ball, because it’s your best chance of getting him out,” Broad was quoted as saying Thursday by the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’
“(But) you have to have a plan B, and with someone like Warner you have to go to plan B quicker than a lot of other batters because he is a dangerous player,” Broad added.
While captain Joe Root said before leaving England that Warner’s comparison to war was ‘extreme’, veteran Broad acknowledged teams needed characters like him to make them great.
“He’s someone that drives teams forward,” Broad said of Warner. “He’s one of those blokes who is not that enjoyable to play against, but if he’s in your team you love him. “You have characters like that in most successful sports teams, don’t you? Someone who if he’s in the field, will stay in the battle always,” Broad pointed out.
The England pacer, however, was quick to point out that players like Warner ‘spurs’ him. “You know that if you get it wrong to him he can hurt you, but it’s also extremely exciting if you get him out,” Broad stated.
Broad also asserted that England need to see the back of Australia captain Steve Smith early. “You’ve got to target, because he’s got huge scoring areas. Once in, he just won’t stop,” Broad stated.
Another injury scare
Melbourne: England pace bowler Jake Ball has sent an injury scare through his team in their Ashes run-up after injuring his ankle during their game against a Cricket Australia XI in Adelaide, Thursday. He bowled just four balls of his fourth over before limping off Adelaide Oval. The 26-year-old Ball collapsed in his delivery stride after he twisted his right ankle. He received treatment on the field and was able to walk off the field unassisted, but was limping.
agencies
