David Warner makes unwanted history with latest failing in England

David Warner’s struggles with the bat have continued during the Ashes with calls regarding his place in the team only set to amplify.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JULY 19: David Warner of Australia walks off after being dismissed by Chris Woakes of England during Day One of the LV= Insurance Ashes 4th Test Match between England and Australia at Emirates Old Trafford on July 19, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

David Warner’s England woes continued during the first day of the Fourth Test at Old Trafford.

The Australian opener faced a mountain of calls from the Australian public for the selectors to drop him from the squad.

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In the end the selectors backed in the once juggernaut opener to find his destructive best and put the England bowlers on the back foot.

Warner from the opening ball looked better, he played with more confidence than he’s shown in recent times.

But in the end it was a nothing shot attempt with next to no footwork that brought about his undoing. And despite making 32 runs from 38 deliveries, the output won’t drown out the noise surrounding his place in the team.

The first innings score gives Warner a truly unwanted piece of history as it makes him the top touring run scorer in England without notching a century.

“It was there to drive if he really committed to it,” Callum Ferguson said on the coverage.

“It looked like he sort of half-heartedly pushed at it rather than really committing which he had done previously in the innings. He will be really disappointed to have let a good start to his innings slip.”

Most Test runs by a touring player in England without a century:

868 - David Warner 🇦🇺
848 - Monty Noble 🇦🇺
778 - MS Dhoni 🇮🇳
773 - Rod Marsh 🇦🇺
745 - Doug Walters 🇦🇺#Ashes

— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) July 19, 2023

Warner has now batted 34 innings in England between 2013 and now, in that time frame his highest score is 85.

He’s only managed to surpass the half-century mark on eight occasions with his average coming in at a lowly 25.52.

Those figures are a far cry from what we’ve seen him produce on home soil where his average sits at 58.39 with 19 centuries to his name.

While Warner wants to finish his career in front of his home crowd in Sydney, calls are building for the Australian selectors to find another answer at the top of the order.

Warner failed to cash in after a more promising start. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Warner entered the fourth Test full of confidence in his own ability and said he was hitting them well in the nets.

“I feel like I am in great touch,“ he said

“I have felt good in the nets, leading in I had good sessions against our quicks at Beckenham (before the series).”

Despite his self confidence and assurance from the man himself his retirement will come in a home series next year, the questions aren’t going away.

He may have looked better than he did at Leeds, which is admittedly an extremely low bar, he’s still a far cry from the man he has shown and the man we all expect him to be.

Only a big outing in the second innings will be the saving grace in what is a career that looks increasingly like it’s operating on borrowed time.