There are fewer sights in modern day cricket more breathtaking than David Warner smashing the white ball all over the pitch. Trent Bridge was witness to yet another spectacular innings by the 32-year-old that oozed with class and charisma.
Warner’s second ton of the 2019 Cricket World Cup powered Australia to a highly competitive total of 381 runs against a resilient Bangadesh side.
We take a deeper look at his knock.
ANALYSIS
Runs: 166
Balls: 147
Fours: 14
Sixes: 5
Striker rate: 112.93
David Warner is the first batsman to make 2 150+ scores in World Cup history. #CWC19 #AusvBan
— ESPNcricinfo stats (@ESPNcric_stats) June 20, 2019
30-SECOND REPORT
After Aaron Finch’s monstrous innings against Sri Lanka, it was Warner’s chance to flex his batting muscles on a batsman-friendly pitch at the Trent Bridge. The southpaw smashed 14 fours and five sixes enroute to a swashbuckling 166 off just 147 balls. Warner was part of a 121-run partnership with Finch and a mega 192-run partnership with Usman Khawaja.
He built his innings smartly, playing the role of the sheet-anchor and later that of slogger at the death. By the end of his mammoth innings, Warner led the charts for top run-getters (447) and most runs in a single innings (166) in the 2019 World Cup.
GOT RIGHT
Warner has received some criticism for a few ‘slow’ innings in the tournament so far. Against India, the 32-year-old took 84 balls to reach 56 runs. His century against Pakistan also arrived at a strike-rate of less than 100.
On Thursday, Warner took 54 balls to reach his fifty and 56 more to reach his century. In the next 37 balls, the opener smashed 66 runs. While Finch and Khawaja provided good support, Warner’s well-paced innings was the primary reason Australia reached a mammoth total of 381-5.
The 32-year-old paced his innings according to the need of the team and when it looked like the defending champions were on course for decent total, he cut loose and went after the likes of Shakib Al Hasan and Rubel Hossain.
GOT WRONG
Not many negatives can be spoken about after such a majestic innings. But if one were to nit-pick, the manner in which Warner struggled to get going until the 38th over could have been an issue.
With 12 overs to go, Warner was on 119 from 127 and the total on 230-1. Warner and Khawaja kicked on with a flurry of boundaries but up until that time, even a total of 350 looked beyond Australia.
Verdict 9/10
The hybrid of sheet-anchor Warner and slogger Warner rose to the occasion and powered Australia to yet another 300+ score.
Warner’s slow innings against India and Pakistan were a result of his inability to answer Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Amir’s strong opening spells. But his daddy hundred against Bangladesh was a case of a well-paced innings. He thus became the first player in World Cup history to post two 150-pus scores.
