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Craig HillDavid Warner Compared To Adam Gilchrist
January 12th 2009 07:39
Batting sensation David Warner drew comparisons with the great Adam Gilchrist on Sunday night after his sensational international debut against South Africa at the MCG.
There will be calls for Warner, who is yet to make his first-class debut, to be fast-tracked into the one-day side after his electrifying 89 off 43 balls, which earned him man-of-the-match honours.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting said Warner's efforts reminded him of Gilchrist, who retired from international cricket at the end of last summer, saying it was some of the 'sweetest' hitting he had seen.
"It was like you were out there with Gilly when Gilly was in one of those moods that he was often in," said Ponting, who had no problems playing second fiddle to Warner.
"That was probably the biggest Twenty20 ground that I've played on which probably makes some of his striking even better."
"A lot of his (sixes) were going over by a fair distance."
Warner's innings is likely to put the heat on selectors to rush the 22-year-old into the one-day squad for the upcoming five-match series against the Proteas.
Australia is looking for a new combination at the top of its one-day order following Gilchrist's retirement and Matthew Hayden's loss of form.
But selectors are unlikely to make any changes to the 13-man squad already named for the opening two one-dayers in Melbourne and Sydney, Ponting said.
"All Dave can do is keep churning out the runs and if he keeps hitting them the way he hit them tonight he's going to be putting pressure on people left, right and centre, whether it be players or selectors," Ponting said.
"It'd be nice if he played that way every time. You get to that sort of start, doesn't matter what form of the game you play, you're going to be giving most games a shake."
Warner burst to prominence at domestic level earlier this summer when he hit a NSW record of 165 in a Ford Ranger Cup match followed by a whirlwind 97 off 54 balls.
"We've all seen him to it at domestic level but taking the step up to an international game and doing it that way and better than he's done it at domestic cricket was great to see," Ponting said.
Warner was always going to open the innings, Ponting said, after being named by selectors last Wednesday.
Warner admitted that he had a touch of stage fright when he first walked onto the arena but the butterflies were shaken by the fifth ball when he clubbed Makhaya Ntini down the ground for the first of seven boundaries.
He said the highlight of his innings was the six where he flicked Dale Steyn above fine leg in the sixth over.
"I saw him in the Test and he was really hitting the wicket, I just thought to myself if he was going to hit the wicket I'm going to chance my arm," he said.
"When I saw fine leg up and I was able to play that shot that I don't usually play it was simply amazing."
Proteas captain Johan Botha said his young team was like a 'rabbit in the headlights' during the early part of Warner's innings.
"The guys got all worked up and were running all over the place," Botha said.
"It was tough out there. It was tough to keep everyone going. Like I said the guys got a bit dazed I suppose."
There will be calls for Warner, who is yet to make his first-class debut, to be fast-tracked into the one-day side after his electrifying 89 off 43 balls, which earned him man-of-the-match honours.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting said Warner's efforts reminded him of Gilchrist, who retired from international cricket at the end of last summer, saying it was some of the 'sweetest' hitting he had seen.
"It was like you were out there with Gilly when Gilly was in one of those moods that he was often in," said Ponting, who had no problems playing second fiddle to Warner.
"That was probably the biggest Twenty20 ground that I've played on which probably makes some of his striking even better."
"A lot of his (sixes) were going over by a fair distance."
Warner's innings is likely to put the heat on selectors to rush the 22-year-old into the one-day squad for the upcoming five-match series against the Proteas.
Australia is looking for a new combination at the top of its one-day order following Gilchrist's retirement and Matthew Hayden's loss of form.
But selectors are unlikely to make any changes to the 13-man squad already named for the opening two one-dayers in Melbourne and Sydney, Ponting said.
"All Dave can do is keep churning out the runs and if he keeps hitting them the way he hit them tonight he's going to be putting pressure on people left, right and centre, whether it be players or selectors," Ponting said.
"It'd be nice if he played that way every time. You get to that sort of start, doesn't matter what form of the game you play, you're going to be giving most games a shake."
Warner burst to prominence at domestic level earlier this summer when he hit a NSW record of 165 in a Ford Ranger Cup match followed by a whirlwind 97 off 54 balls.
"We've all seen him to it at domestic level but taking the step up to an international game and doing it that way and better than he's done it at domestic cricket was great to see," Ponting said.
Warner was always going to open the innings, Ponting said, after being named by selectors last Wednesday.
Warner admitted that he had a touch of stage fright when he first walked onto the arena but the butterflies were shaken by the fifth ball when he clubbed Makhaya Ntini down the ground for the first of seven boundaries.
He said the highlight of his innings was the six where he flicked Dale Steyn above fine leg in the sixth over.
"I saw him in the Test and he was really hitting the wicket, I just thought to myself if he was going to hit the wicket I'm going to chance my arm," he said.
"When I saw fine leg up and I was able to play that shot that I don't usually play it was simply amazing."
Proteas captain Johan Botha said his young team was like a 'rabbit in the headlights' during the early part of Warner's innings.
"The guys got all worked up and were running all over the place," Botha said.
"It was tough out there. It was tough to keep everyone going. Like I said the guys got a bit dazed I suppose."
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