Two half centuries from humiliation: Warner, Labuschagne save the day

David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne saved the day for Australia at Headingley.

David Warner raises his bat upon reaching his half century, left, while Marnus Labuschagne could not conceal his disappointment when out for 74. Pictures: Getty

Two halves do not a whole innings make, but two half centuries stood between Australia and a humiliation of the type seen four years ago at Trent Bridge when the side was dismissed for 60.

Nine of the 11 Australian batsmen contributed a grand total of 31 runs, but Australia were 179 when the last wicket fell around 730pm local time.

The veteran David Warner and the young draftee Marnus Labuschagne have both made more runs, but rarely have they been as valuable or as admirable than the half centuries they made on the difficult first day at Headingley.

They scored 101 in 138 balls together, both cashing in after a torrid early spell that saw the ball swing and seam alarmingly.

Players were on and off the field regularly too, rain and light affecting the early hours of the game, but the two stuck to the task and at times threatened to run away with the game.

Warner played and missed at half the deliveries he faced from Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer early in his innings. Only once, however, did he offer a false shot, holding his line and his nerve when any delivery could easily have accounted for his innings and added further woes to his tour.

Warner elated

Archer took 6-45 but it was Broad who took 2-32 who was possibly the pick of the pair.

Both bowled unchanged into the afternoon courtesy of the repeated weather breaks and were relentless the whole time. It wasn’t until the 17th over of the game that Broad was rested.

If the forecast is right England will have a much easier time of it on day two with the skies due to clear and the heat expected to take some sting out of the wicket.

Warner seemed elated after surviving the early spells from both bowlers, his mood significantly better than it had been on the last day at Lord’s when he was dismissed cheaply for the fourth time in four innings.

“That’s incredible Test bowling,” Warner said following his 94 ball 64. “Joe (Root) won the toss and looked upstairs and wanted to bowl and they used that very well. They put the ball in the right areas. As a left-hander, Broad is going to challenge your off stump a lot, try and create that drive and same as Jofra. It’s a bit like how Dale Steyn with the new ball tried to just use the conditions and then sort of ramp it up when they need to. That was world class bowling at its best.”

Ricky Ponting arrived back in the UK on the eve of the Test. In his role as team mentor he had adopted Warner during the World Cup where the batsman had six scores over the half century mark _ including three centuries.

The opener has barely made a run since his mate and mentor left at the end of that tournament.

The pair played golf on the eve of the Test and there was clearly some good counsel on the course.

“Going out on the golf course with Ricky was great, always good to have my mate around and just let your hair down as they say,” Warner said. “He was all about making sure I’m still backing my game plan, looking to get forward and looking to hit the ball, and I know when I’m looking to hit the ball my defence takes care of itself and I’m compact. That was fortunate enough today that it came off, but obviously you get another good ball there but can’t do anything about it.”

Labuschagne wanted more

Labuschagne was, however, approaching devastated after being dismissed by a full toss that struck his pads and knocked his feet from under him after surviving four hours at the crease.

Out for 74, he clearly wanted more and demonstrated an attitude on dismissal that will endear him to selectors, coaches and fans for some time to come.

It was a half season in the second division of county cricket that prepared for his call up in the last innings at Lord’s. He is the leading run scorer in the UK and a much improved cricketer for the time at Glamorgan.

“I though he was outstanding today, his discipline was outstanding,” Warner said of the batsman who had played six and a half Test matches before this innings. “Him coming over here and playing that stint of county cricket, scoring some runs and knowing where his off stump is, I know he has worked really hard on that.

“We talked our way through our innings out there, we rebounded a lot of positive comments and he kept telling me about being disciplined and making sure I’m holding my shape which was great getting reassurance from a youngster.”

Labuschagne actually looked more confident and established at the crease than his senior partner.