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Craig HillDavid Warner And His Two Sided Bat
January 7th 2009 12:08
New South Wales batsman David Warner was quick to fob off suggestions his double-sided bat will see him go down in Australian cricket folklore alongside Dennis Lillee and the aluminium blade of the 1970s.
But his willingness to try new equipment and cavalier style at the crease could soon see him described as one of the pioneers of the Twenty20 game in Australia.
Last month he signed a two-year contract with Indian Premier League side Delhi Daredevils while his hard-hitting has been a feature of the abbreviated versions of the game this summer.
The New South Wales opener, who used the Gray-Nicolls DualT20 for several overs, smashed 65 off 35 balls in a man-of-the-match performance against South Australia at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.
While he finished his knock with a conventional bat, the 22-year-old said he thought the new product had potential.
"It was a great piece of willow but I just thought that six I hit off Taity (Shaun Tait) it was a little bit tinny and needs a bit more knocking in, that was only my third hit with it, and hopefully it gets better," he said.
Warner said the tactics of South Australian great Darren Lehmann, who was known for inventiveness on the field, and a more professional approach to his cricket had played a part in his success in Twenty20.
"You try to work the bowler around; you try to get him to bowl where you want to hit the ball. Like Darren Lehmann used to always say, 'if there is a gap where I want a fielder to be moved to, I will' and that creates more opportunities," he said.
"I see it that way as well. I'm trying to be cricket smart and hopefully it's working and hopefully it continues."
The exciting left-hander said his time in List A cricket had also helped him lift his game.
"As you are growing up, between the ages of 16 and 20, you obviously don't have that much power. But then you come into this kind of level, you are in the gym all the time, specific gym training which builds you up," he said.
"Everything is coming off the middle of the bat and it's all to do with timing really, you don't have to be a big person to hit the ball far."
"I used to bat five or six, especially in the one-day stuff and just try and bring us home in the last 10 (overs). But this year I’ve been asked to bat up the order and I’ve got a free license (to hit big)."
Redbacks captain Graham Manou, who had the box seat for Warner's explosive innings, said the New South Wales player had a strong future in the shortest form of the game.
But his willingness to try new equipment and cavalier style at the crease could soon see him described as one of the pioneers of the Twenty20 game in Australia.
Last month he signed a two-year contract with Indian Premier League side Delhi Daredevils while his hard-hitting has been a feature of the abbreviated versions of the game this summer.
The New South Wales opener, who used the Gray-Nicolls DualT20 for several overs, smashed 65 off 35 balls in a man-of-the-match performance against South Australia at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.
While he finished his knock with a conventional bat, the 22-year-old said he thought the new product had potential.
"It was a great piece of willow but I just thought that six I hit off Taity (Shaun Tait) it was a little bit tinny and needs a bit more knocking in, that was only my third hit with it, and hopefully it gets better," he said.
Warner said the tactics of South Australian great Darren Lehmann, who was known for inventiveness on the field, and a more professional approach to his cricket had played a part in his success in Twenty20.
"You try to work the bowler around; you try to get him to bowl where you want to hit the ball. Like Darren Lehmann used to always say, 'if there is a gap where I want a fielder to be moved to, I will' and that creates more opportunities," he said.
"I see it that way as well. I'm trying to be cricket smart and hopefully it's working and hopefully it continues."
The exciting left-hander said his time in List A cricket had also helped him lift his game.
"As you are growing up, between the ages of 16 and 20, you obviously don't have that much power. But then you come into this kind of level, you are in the gym all the time, specific gym training which builds you up," he said.
"Everything is coming off the middle of the bat and it's all to do with timing really, you don't have to be a big person to hit the ball far."
"I used to bat five or six, especially in the one-day stuff and just try and bring us home in the last 10 (overs). But this year I’ve been asked to bat up the order and I’ve got a free license (to hit big)."
Redbacks captain Graham Manou, who had the box seat for Warner's explosive innings, said the New South Wales player had a strong future in the shortest form of the game.
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Go to Craig Hill's home page for information about corporate training courses, university preparation courses and writing services available
