Cricket World Cup 2019: David Warner will open batting against Afghanistan

Australia has received a big boost for their first match of the Cricket World Cup, with star opener David Warner passed fit to play.

David Warner has to pass a fitness test before the Afghanistan game.

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Update: David Warner started training with a sore bottom and then transferred that pain to the bowlers with a lethal batting display that has him primed to make his return to international cricket against Afghanistan on Saturday night.

Warner appeared to ace his fitness test as he completed fielding drills and then batted for 90 minutes in the Bristol County Ground nets – where he rained sixes into the stands – after scans showed a “minor strain” in his right glute.

Warner is certain to open the batting with captain Aaron Finch against Afghanistan, breaking up the Finch-Usman Khawaja partnership that averaged 91.8 runs in Australia’s past eight ODIs.

Shaun Marsh may have to sit the first game on the sidelines.

“Davey’s fine, he’ll play,” Finch said.

“Dave and I have had a great partnership over the years. That was a pretty key part of our 2015 World Cup win.

“Davey’s destructiveness in the power-play is a huge reason why he’s one of the best players in the world.

“When he gets in he can be so dominant on attacks. Usman or Shaun, whichever way we go at No.3, Usman’s the No.3 in Test cricket so there’s no issues around whether he can do it and Shaun was very successful when he’s done it over the last 12-18 months.”

But Marsh would still be an unlucky omission given he smacked two centuries in England last year and is averaging 55.1 from his past 17 ODIs.

“I assume that (Warner) will be fit,” Finch said.

“He batted for 90 minutes today, but we’ll just wait and see tonight once he speaks to the physio.”

Langer said Warner was fine when batting and running between the wickets, but felt pain when running “side to side” in the field.

Despite some great form, Usman Khawaja is no guarantee of playing.

Langer confirmed the Herald Sun’s report last Sunday that Warner would replace Khawaja as Finch’s opening partner.

With a loaded batting line-up, Australia’s record ODI score of 4/434 could be in trouble if it bats first at the tiny venue.

The straight boundary at Bristol is just 47m and batsmen targeted it repeatedly during centre-wicket practice.

David Warner has to pass a fitness test before the Afghanistan game.

Finch struck a six so hard it crashed through the sight screen, leaving cricket ball-sized hole.

Australia’s second-biggest score of 6/417 was belted the last time it played Afghanistan, at the 2015 World Cup, when Warner creamed 178 (133).

“Obviously Afghanistan has a big spin focus,” Finch said.

“They’ve got world-class spinners – Nabi, Rashid Khan and Mujeb as well. They’re probably three of the most well-known spinners around the world over the last couple of years in the shorter formats.

“I played for a couple of years with Nabi at the Renegades and one season with Mujeeb at Kings XI (IPL). You get to train a lot with these guys and they teach you everything they can.”

Nathan Coulter-Nile, who did not bowl at Thursday’s four-hour training session, is favoured to round out the pace battery alongside opening pair Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

Meanwhile, keeper Alex Carey will play under Jason Gillespie for Sussex in England’s T20 Blast following the World Cup.

Originally published as Cricket World Cup 2019: David Warner will open batting against Afghanistan