The Gabba pitch has come under scrutiny after more wickets fell on the opening day of the first Australia and South Africa Test than ever before at the venue as greats of the game debated whether David Warner can salvage his Test career after a rare golden duck.
But according to Nathan Lyon, Warner has the full support of the Australian dressing room.
Australian skipper Pat Cummins bucked the trend by winning the toss and electing to bowl first against South Africa on a lively pitch in Brisbane that was as green as any in recent memory.
Inside the first hour, South Africa were reeling at 4-27 on what turned out to be a double-digit day of wickets.
A total of 15 wickets fell on the opening day of play. It eclipses the previous record of 12 wickets in on a first day in Brisbane since Tests began at the venue in 1931.
After an excellent effort in the field – Australia bowled the visitors out for 152 – the home side began in the worst possible fashion when Warner was caught at short leg for a golden duck off the bowling of Kagiso Rabada.
Warner’s form is under the microscope after making just 173 runs from his last 10 innings at an average of 19.22. He hasn’t passed 50 in any of those knocks and hasn’t registered a century since 2020.
Australia’s next match, the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, will be Warner’s 100th Test.
David Warner reacts after being dismissed for a golden duck.Credit:Getty
It would be an extremely callous move by selectors to punt the 36-year-old one match shy of triple figures but concerns over his patchy form only intensified on Saturday.
Warner has given no indication of his plans but a final Test at the SCG is something that he could be weighing up.
“We all know the X-factor of the cricketer David Warner is and the type off batter he is,” said Lyon, after taking 3-14 from eight overs earlier in the day. “He’s got 100 per cent support of the change room and it should be the whole Australian public, to be honest.
“Yes he got a good, steep bouncer but that was another hell of a catch to hang onto.”
Australian legend Ricky Ponting hopes Warner doesn’t play longer than his used-by date.
“I think what he should be doing is being as realistic and looking to the future as he can,” Ponting said in commentary on Channel Seven.
“I would hate to see him get to an Indian tour or at the start of the Ashes tour and then get the tap on the shoulder. That would be a disappointing way for his career to end.
“It might be after the Sydney Test. Let’s wait and see. Also, I hope that he gets some runs between now and then.”
Ponting knows what it’s like to lose touch in the twilight of a Test career.
When Ponting fell over while being bowled by Jacques Kallis in 2012, it signified the beginning of the end for the Australian great. He retired shortly after.
The most alarming thing about Warner’s dismissal was that his bottom hand came off the bat and his eyes were closed as he fended the ball away from his ribs.
There was stunned silence as Warner walked off thanks to a superb one-handed catch from Khaya Zondo. The tough ones have a funny way of sticking when a batsman is out of form.
Warner needed 81 runs to pass 8000 Test runs but didn’t edge any closer to the mark achieved by only seven Australians before him.
It was the fifth time Rabada has dismissed Warner in Tests and just the second golden duck the opener has registered in the longest form.
“KG [Rabada] is someone who targets the big players,” said South African wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne. “If we need someone to crack a game open or get the opposition’s big-name players out he’s always the guy we look to go to.”
Former Australian star Mark Waugh believes “nothing has gone Warner’s way” this summer.
“He keeps making mistakes and keeps paying a high price,” Waugh said in Fox commentary.
While former Australian coach Justin Langer was never going to stick the boot into Warner, he acknowledged the dismissal would be scrutinised.
Langer did, however, back Warner to fight his way out of his form slump.
“Of course we will read into it. Everyone will read into the duck,” Langer said on Channel Seven. “He will be disappointed. The team will be disappointed.
“I would not be writing off David Warner for a single second. He is a street fighter, and he is important for the Australian cricket team.”
