David Warner and debutant Tom Curran exchange verbals after no ball sets up century at the MCG

DAVID Warner is sick and tired of his new alter-ego the “Reverend”, morphing into the dormant Raging Bull in a heated exchange with England rookie Tom Curran.

David Warner has words with Jonny Bairstow.

IT had to be the day Bill Lawry returned to the commentary box at the MCG.

For a brief but fantastic period it was absolutely “all happening”.

Smack bang in the middle of the madness was David Warner, out for 99, then not out for 100, all in the space of two memorable balls that will live forever in Ashes infamy.

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Add he was in the verbal stoush that followed too, Warner refusing to hold back as the enemy attacked. It all made for a massive couple of minutes that pointed to the series being dead in numbers only.

Word from the Aussie camp before the Boxing Day Test was the “Bull” was back.

Warner’s alter-ego, the more cautious “Reverend”, who had plodded rather than pounded away through the opening three Ashes Tests had been sent on holiday with the urn secured.

David Warner and Tom Curran exchange pleasantries. Picture: Getty Images

Constant nagging from the English camp, about this and that and bouncers and bowling depth had got to Warner. He wanted to get at them.

“I’ve been a little quiet. It’s an Ashes Test series, every time we come out here we know there is a bit of banter between the two countries and I really enjoy playing against them and you hear the crowd out here, the English have a strong following. I’m going to cop it when I go over there and I always do, so might as well keep giving it to them,” Warner said.

So in glorious sunshine, on a pitch flat as a suburban driveway, Warner feasted. He hit the first boundary of the game in the third over and in the second hour of play, upped the ante.

He smashed woeful English spinner Moeen Ali for six in the final over before lunch and went to eat not out on 83. A second successive Boxing Day Test century beckoned.

But after the break, the tap was turned off. Nearly an hour passed and he was still in the 90s.

Warner pushed a single to get to 99, and brought up his 6000th Test run. That’s rarefied air.

The scoreboard though, which usually does, didn’t flash it up for recognition. Just waiting.

Then the crowd clap was loud as first-gamer Tom Curran charged in from the members end to Warner with a run to go.

Curran banged it in to the rock hard pitch, it rose on the Aussie opener who tried to bunt it to the leg side. But it hit the edge of the bat, went up in the air, and landed in Stuart Broad’s hands at mid-on.

No way. Warner was out for 99. But only briefly.

As he got halfway off the field, having punched his bat and cursed himself, the scoreboard delivered the good news. It was a front-foot no ball.

No way. Warner was not out for 99. Curran was denied his first ever Test wicket.

The crowd roar rocked the Richter scale. Moved the needle as they say.

Tom Curran wasn’t the only one hearing from Warner.

The very next ball, Warner tucked one off his legs, got his-single, and his century, and celebrated like he’d made 1000.

The needle moved again and Warner did every celebration imaginable.

There was his customary leap, helmet in hand, then a fist pump with his helmet, then a pump with his bat. He roared “C’mon”, kissed the badge on helmet, kissed his bat, pointed his bat to the rooms, put both arms in the air.

“It was quite nerve-racking, my heart was in my throat, but to see him (Curran) overstep was a kick in the back side to me and pumped me up a little bit more. I think my reaction says it all. Then to get another one on my hip there, I made sure I wasn’t going to play the same shot and get on with it,” Warner said.

“I managed to get it across there and give the old fist pump and the big jump in elation.”

It went on and on and Lawry loved it.

“It will be talked about that dismissal forever. It was one of those moments. I was at the MCG when Warner was out and what a shocking shot it was. And then all of a sudden, not out,” Lawry said on Channel Nine.

But Warner didn’t celebrate with a smile. He did it with a snarl. Warner ripped the English for whingeing before the game, and clearly has little time for Jimmy Anderson and it showed.

Things were tense, and the Bull let Curran, who had a snip himself, know all about it. Then Jonny Bairstow copped a serve when he ran past, Anderson too.

“I overheard the bowler say something and I thought it was probably directed at me, it might not have been. I found a way in there,” said Warner.

Who said what only the players, or lip readers, know. But they weren’t saying “well done”. It was not nice.

After drinks Anderson got Warner out for 103, Bairstow took the catch too, but the English celebrations were a bit more subdued.

And Warner trudged from the field slowly, stewing no doubt, just thinking about what the Bull may do when he comes out to field.

He isn’t finished yet.