If there’s one thing that David Warner will be remembered for once he retires, it’s that Stuart Broad was undoubtedly his kryptonite.
As it stands, no other active Australian batter at Test level has fallen foul to the same bowler as much as Warner has to Broad. The ledger sits at 17.
Worst of all for Warner is there’s still time for Broad to break the all-time record with two Tests remaining in this year’s Ashes.
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Ahead of Warner sits England’s Michael Atherton, who was bowled 19 times by Australian Glenn McGrath.
Just behind them sits Australia’s Arthur Morris who was rolled by England’s Alec Bedser on 18 occasions.
The reality of the situation isn’t lost on Warner, who offered a wry smile after being dismissed again by Broad at Headingley.
With age, Warner’s tit-for-tat approach with bowlers has smoothed. He admits he’s less inclined to sledge, especially in the age of franchise cricket where rivals become friends.
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“I used to try to get into the bowlers a little bit but I have calmed down a lot since my younger days,” Warner told the UK Telegraph’s Vaughany and Tuffers Cricket Club podcast.
“I used to hit a boundary and go past the bowler and say ‘oh that was a long half-volley’ or ask what he’d serve up next.
“There is no sledging in the game today. I don’t see it, I don’t hear it. The banter has gone a little bit because of all the franchise cricket, but you can still have banter out there.
“Back when I started, I had a lot of people that didn’t like me on the field, that’s the way that I played, that’s the way I got up and about, and I had to get into that contest.
“I felt that is how I got the best out of myself. It probably didn’t look good from afar, but you find different ways to get into it out there, like singing songs in your head. There’s a lot of ways to get yourself going.”
Prodded by former England captain Michael Vaughan to know what song he’d be singing at Old Trafford, Warner piped up – “Broady’s gonna get ya!”
He added, “I’ve got that in my mind, but yeah, I love it.”
Despite Broad having the wool over Warner, the belligerent batter said he enjoys the constant fight – even if it is a bit one-sided.
“I always love facing, not just Broady, but any fast bowler,” Warner explained.
“Credit to Broady, the last sort of two series I’ve played against him, he’s bowled extremely well. He’s not really missed that mark. He’s probably seen that at Lord’s where I’ve been walking at him, going across, trying to put him off his line and length.
“If you don’t last longer than an over, it’s very hard to do that. You’ve got to be mindful of that. You’ve got to adapt when you’re out there. You’ve got to be brave.
“In general, these last two years his record against left-handers and top-order batters has been phenomenal and that’s a credit to him and the way he has bowled.
Broad gets Warner again
“You don’t really think about the match-up,” he added.
“You’re just thinking about the ball that’s coming at you, where it’s going to be place and how you’re going to score. He bowls the ball in a great area all the time.
“There’s pros and cons as well in the game where we’ve got two left-handed opening batters. He’s if not the best bowler to left-hand batters in today’s game. He is so good at it.”
Australia leads England in the Ashes, 2-1, with two Tests remaining.
The fourth Test looks like it’ll be hit by rain across the five days.
Australia has opted to field a full line-up of pace bowlers, dropping Todd Murphy and Mitch Marsh for Josh Hazelwood and Cameron Green.
Day one of the fourth Test gets underway on Wednesday at 8pm with coverage on Nine from 7:30pm.
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