The match-up between Australian opener David Warner and England pacer Stuart Broad was said to be one of the key battles going into the Ashes 2023 series and the contest lived up to its billing on Saturday, as the tall English pacer sent the Aussie star back to the pavilion for the 15th time in his career.
Broad struck early on the second day of the ongoing first Ashes Test at The Oval when, in the 10th over, Warner chased a ball outside off going for an expansive drive. However, he paid for minimal footwork as the ball crashed onto his stumps, leaving Warner in disbelief.
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Warner was out for just 9 in 27 balls, his brief innings laced with two fours. The dismissal extended his poor record against Broad. Against Broad in Tests, Warner has scored 397 runs in 734 balls at a sub-par average of 26.46. He has been dismissed 15 times by the bowler.
The statistics only read worse in England’s seam and swing-friendly conditions. Broad has put Warner on a leash at home, with the latter scoring only 158 runs in 329 balls at a poor average of 17.55. He has dismissed Warner nine times in England.
Most of these dismissals came in the 2019 Ashes in England, when Broad dismissed Warner seven times in ten innings. The southpaw could score only 95 runs in 10 innings at an average of 9.50 in that series, with the best being 61.
In 15 Tests, so far, in England, Warner has scored 704 runs at an average of 25.14. He has scored seven fifties in 28 innings, with best score of 85. Glenn McGrath has the record of scalping a batter most times in Tests. In 17 Tests between 1994-2001, he dismissed Michael Atherton 19 times, including three ducks. Atherton had an average of only 9.89 against McGrath.
England declared their first innings at 393/8 after electing to bat first. A century from Root (118* in 152 balls, with seven fours and four sixes), fifties from Jonny Bairstow (78 in 78 balls, with 12 fours) and Zak Crawley (61 in 73 balls, with seven fours) powered England to a huge score.
Nathan Lyon (4/149) was the pick of the bowlers for the Aussies. Josh Hazlewood picked up two wickets while Scott Boland and Cameron Green got a wicket each.
At the end of day 1, Australia was at 14/0, with David Warner (8) and Usman Khawaja (4).
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