Ashes 2019: Battered Aussies warn: don’t write off Warner

Justin Langer backs David Warner to rebound as Australia seek to counter the threat of Jofra Archer.

Australian captain Tim Paine, left, and David Warner at a nets session in Leeds. Picture: Getty Images

The Australian camp enters the third Test one-nil up on England but in a very different place to the confident way it entered the game at Lord’s. The home side didn’t win the second game, but it won some of the key battles and has placed pressure on the visitors who had to fight hard for a draw.

England have found a way to rattle Australia with bouncers and the game has found a way to undermine the confidence of David Warner. Coach Justin Langer admits that Australia has to find a way to play paceman Jofra Archer or it will lose the series. He also warns against writing off his senior opening batsman. That he has to say either of those things is signal enough that they are being considered.

The bullish have become the bullied.

The simple loss of Steve Smith and introduction of Archer is enough to tip the balance of any scales. The Australian is the best batsman in world cricket, he was averaging 126 this series when he went down and was a problem England couldn’t solve. The ink may only be just dry on the Caribbean bowler’s papers, but his performance on debut had people shuffling through records for comparison.

He did not get Smith out, but he got under his skin and he has placed himself front and centre of the minds of everyone who has to face him in this match, even given that the Headingley wicket will likely be slower.

Smith’s absence means the game has to wait for the great showdown. At Lord’s the bounce was uneven and cross-bat shots to the short ball became dangerous. CricViz data claims the ball that got him bounced 20cm higher than deliveries in comparable areas.

The game must wait to see if he has the same impact against Smith when the bounce is true.

The brutal narrative of the past week continued in the nets yesterday. Marnus Labuschagne, who was Smith’s concussion replacement in the second Test and is likely to slot in for him at Headingley, copped some friendly fire from Mitchell Starc, who struck him on the grille like Archer did at Lord’s.

Both teams have problems in the top order, but Australia’s feel more profound. England have rolled the dice on Jason Roy and had no success thus far. He does not look like a Test opener and already there are discussions about dropping him to the middle order. Rory Burns might be hard on the eye but he has been solid.

Australia have two problems. The first is Cameron Bancroft, who was picked over Marcus Harris despite some technical issues. He has soaked up balls but not scored runs. His name is being bandied about by selectors but they do not want to look like they are panicking two Tests in. If he plays and fails here the tour match against Derby after this Test will become a “bat off” with Harris.

The second problem is Warner. He has four single-figure scores. When you have the sort of record he has that should not be a major issue, but failure at Headingley would be uncharted territory for the indomitable opener.

They will stick with him because they know he is a match- winner. One innings from Warner could secure the series.

There is, however, an uncomfortable shifting in seats when his name is raised. Possibly for the first time in his long career he looks to be apprehensive. Doubt is poison to batsmen, particularly openers, but confidence is only a couple of cover drives away.

“For either team to win this series against top attacks, our top orders are going to have to fire,” Langer admits.

“The challenge is on for both teams and I’m sure we’ve got a couple of really senior players, as they’ve got their captain batting at No 3, to make a mark on this series.”

Langer backed Warner to find a way through his problems.

“I expect (a lot) out of him every time he plays, whether Steve Smith is playing or not playing,” Langer said.

“We expect it of all our senior players. He looked really sharp in the nets today.

“He’ll be hungry. Don’t write off David Warner.”

England may have to look to get James Anderson back in the attack for the fourth Test at his home ground of Old Trafford but the bowling remains settled for the game at Leeds. Australia are looking at resting Peter Siddle and bringing James Pattinson back.

Headingley was custom built for Siddle, he took 5-21 here in the innings win over England in 2009 but was a younger man. There have to be concerns about the quick turnaround between matches when you are fast approaching 35.

It’s a mark of Archer’s impact on the game that the cheer squad is urging Australia to tear up the plans that have them 1-0 in the series and go back to the old-school fast and faster approach.

“What we’re not going to do is get caught up in an emotional battle of who’s going to bowl the quickest bouncers,” Langer said.

“We’re here to win the Test match, not to see how many helmets we can hit.

“I’m sure the bouncer will still be part of every bowler’s armoury, if it helps us get batsmen out then we’ll use it. Otherwise we’ll keep sticking to the plan.

“England will be the same, I’m sure they’ve got plans how they’ll get our batsmen out, not just knock them out.”