The Ashes 2019: Stuart Broad has David Warner is his sights again after success in first three Tests

The first ball Steve Smith faces from Jofra Archer at Old Trafford this week will, of course, capture world headlines. But it’s another tasty battle that could decide the destination of The Ashes.

Stuart Broad has knocked over David Warner four times already this Ashes series.

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One of the biggest one-on-one Ashes battles resumes in Wednesday’s fourth Test at Manchester and England seamer Stuart Broad has got Aussie opener David Warner in his sights again.

Broad has dismissed Warner, who has just 79 runs for the series, four times from six innings and declared his side was preparing to “ramp it up” at Old Trafford.

In his Sunday newspaper column, Broad, who has 109 Ashes wickets, highlighted those in-match battles that have stood out in the three Tests so far, and didn’t miss Warner.

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Stuart Broad has knocked over David Warner four times already this Ashes series.

“To me, this is what Ashes cricket is about. Blimey, if I was a 12-year-old kid, I would want to watch Jofra (Archer) bowl to (Steve) Smith on Wednesday morning,” Broad wrote in the Daily Mail.

“There have been some awesome personal battles in this series. Josh Hazlewood at our top four, me at Warner.

“It's been Ashes cricket at its absolute best, punch after punch, and now it's time for us to ramp it up.”

Broad has made no secret of hatching a specific pre-series plan for Warner, essentially coming around the wicket and trying to take the ball away from the Aussie left-hander.

He’s been able to get Warner out in three different ways too; twice lbw, once caught behind, and then bowled with a near unplayable ball in the first innings at Lord’s.

It’s a distinct change from the 2015 Ashes in England, when Broad didn’t get Warner out once.

Josh Hazlewood has certainly enjoyed bowling to Joe Root.

But the Englishman, who actually has a better record against Australia than Jimmy Anderson, isn’t the only one who learned lessons from that series.

Aussie opening bowler Josh Hazlewood, who took nine wickets at Headingley, has 12 in his two matches and has twice dismissed England captain Joe Root.

While the 28-year-old wouldn’t say he had the wood on Root, he did think he was bowling as good as he had, and better in England than in 2015, when he took 16 wickets in four Tests.

“Sometimes the best players bring the best out of you. I certainly feel in the game early against him, that's for sure,” Hazlewood said.

“If we can keep getting him cheaply, it puts pressure on the rest of the order. It is nice to get into that little battle. I'm pretty happy with the plans and executing them.

“

Josh Hazlewood says the key to his Ashes success thus far is simply to ‘keep it simple’.

I think I'm not trying to do too much, try and be very simple, not try and swing the ball, occasionally I do when it gets a bit older but just hitting that right length with the new ball, making them play, not try and do too much, try and keep it simple.”

BATTLE LINES

Stuart Broad v Australia

109 wickets @ 29

In England

75 wickets @ 25

This series

14 wickets @ 25

• Has dismissed David Warner for 2, 8, 3, 0

Josh Hazlewood v England

49 wickets @ 23

In England

28 wickets @ 22

This series

12 wickets @ 18

• Has dismissed Joe Root for 0 and 14.