Ashes tour diary: David Warner delighted with Stuart Broad’s return to England team despite 13th dismissal

Will Macpherson5 January 2022

On a quiet day of Ashes action on the field, pundits were relieved that some good battles reared their heads once more. Most notably, Stuart Broad dismissed David Warner for the 13th time in Test cricket. Warner’s next worst enemies, Ravichandran Ashwin and James Anderson, have dismissed him 10 times each.

Mark Wood said he enjoyed that battle, because you always know something is coming. Warner, meanwhile, knows he and his old sparring partner make great copy - and was even happy to see him in the side.

“I really enjoy giving you guys a good story, which is fantastic and it builds up the game,” he said. “From my perspective it’s like any other bowler but me and Broady love it when we’re out there, it’s good fun, good funny banter.

"It’s one of those things where a bowler bowls a lot at you, he obviously pitches the ball in the areas a lot of the time, is very consistent, holds his length very well, is very consistent and tries to create that false shot which today I tried to drive the ball too straight.

"That was my disappointment but it’s awesome to see Broady back out there, a world-class bowler. Him and Jimmy [Anderson] bowling at us is great. Obviously, they would have been disappointed with some of the Test matches not playing together but that’s their selection panel. But it’s great to come up against the world’s best from England."

Stuart Broad celebrates his 13th Test dismissal of old foe David Warner
AFP via Getty Images

Signing on

We were full of praise for Jack Leach yesterday, after his honest comments about his struggles in Brisbane. He only bowled two overs – tidy ones, it should be added – shortly before England’s two key breakthroughs.

But Leach’s good sense of humour was on show again, as he tolerated the rowdiest corner of the SCG crowd (in the lower tier of the Clive Churchill Stand) teasing him as he warmed up, then showed some slap-headed solidarity by signing another bald man’s noggin. Perhaps that does not strictly sit with the teams’ strict Level 4 Covid protocols, but well worth it nonetheless.

Caged Tigers

Only Ashes adjacent, but worth pointing out anyway, on the day that Bangladesh won a Test in New Zealand for the first time.

England have not played Bangladesh for more than five years, and not hosted them since 2010. Australia, meanwhile, have not hosted them since 2003. Not good enough, guys.

Getting the band back together

England welcomed back the first of their Covid-struck support staff in Sydney today. Darren Veness, the Surrey strength and conditioning coach on secondment with the ECB for the final three Tests of the Ashes, was released from quarantine and back working with the team before the toss.

Jeetan Patel is due to join up in the next couple of days, but Jon Lewis, Chris Silverwood and their families – some of whom have also had the virus – will travel straight to Hobart for the final Test.

On the other side

Travis Head, meanwhile, will rejoin the Australia squad on Friday, provided he tests negative twice upon his release on Thursday.

Head has been replaced in the Australia XI by Usman Khawaja and as their top scorer in the series by Warner.

Kicking things off

Sometimes, the pre-match formalities are a little staid. Not at the SCG. Before the anthems, as is customary in Australia, came the Welcome To Country. Giving the address was Uncle Allen Madden, the Gadigal Elder, who had the crowd laughing from the start, as he said “for my first song…” and signed off with an entertaining old Aboriginal saying: "Where there's a will ... there's relatives”.

Uncle Allen Madden, the Gadigal Elder, performs a Welcome To Country at the SCG
Getty Images

The Australian anthem was then sung beautifully by Amanda Barrass, who has metastatic breast cancer. She was a fitting choice in the Pink Test.

Star struck

Melbourne Stars’ Covid woes continue. Glenn Maxwell, their captain, was one of their last men standing after an outbreak that took down most of the first team. Maxwell has symptoms, returned a positive lateral flow and is awaiting PCR results.

It is hardly a surprise, given his exposure to the virus. When batting against Melbourne Renegades on Monday, Maxwell turned to wicketkeeper Sam Harper and said “stay away from me, I might have Covid”. Prophetic. Renegades also announced today that a player has tested positive.

The biggest outbreak yet is at Brisbane Heat, who announced today that 12 players had gone down, leading to their second postponement. Two more English players, Harry Brook and Jordan Thompson, were ruled out as close contacts from Hobart Hurricanes’ meeting with Adelaide Strikers today.

The whole thing is very nearly at breaking point, and a break might be for the best.

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