The T20 International match between Australia and South Africa is still going on, as I write this post and South Africa are able to restrict Australia to 183 in the 2o overs. But Australia wouldn't have got to this level but for the efforts for the new comer David Warner. He set the pace for a huuuge first innings score. He was scoring at will. Started in the 3rd over, hitting Ntini for 2 fours and 2 sixes. In comes Dale Steyn after 4 overs and he is being greeted with a Six over fine leg, and then comes the shot of the innings in the next ball.
No fast bowler likes to be hit for a six, that too, the first ball he bowls. Having hit by rookie batsman Warner for a six, Steyn bangs in a short ball on the bouncy MCG turf and expects Warner duck for this. But Warner was well prepared for this ploy and heaves Steyn's short ball for a huge six over mid wicket. The ball landed more than 20 rows into the stands. Had this any other ball, umpires would have forgotten about this and would have gone for another ball.
Warner scored at will, running hard with his partners and making his partners like Ricky Ponting to complete a two, which would have been only a single. David Warner hit 7 fours and 6 sixers on his way to 83 of just 42 balls and the 43rd he faced, he fell to a catch at long on. That too would have been a six in any other ground. But not at MCG.
But for this heroic effort of David Warner, Australia would have been panting for runs. More salt would have been rubbed on their faces, as they lost 9 wickets in getting their 183. The next best score was 21 from Ricky Ponting.
David Warner plays for New South Wales. He hasn't played any international cricket, nor any first class cricket as well. Just 7 one day games for New South Wales are his only cricketing experience. He just showed no fear of facing deadly bowlers like Ntini and Steyn. Australia have produced yet another star.
Just heard that he has been signed by Delhi Dare Devils for the 2009 edition of the IPL. Let Lalit Modi be prepared to arrange for more extra balls, as the shots of Warner could well land up in the near by gutters thanks to the smaller size and reduced boundaries of IPL venues.
