David Warner is sitting on one of the iconic white benches outside the Lord’s pavilion. It is the media day for his Hundred team, London Spirit, and the near-deserted Home of Cricket is a scene of calm – a stark contrast to the chaos of his last visit here.
That was in July 2023, when Warner played for Australia in the infamous second Ashes Test, a match remembered less for the result than for one explosive incident. Alex Carey’s controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow on the final day sparked unprecedented uproar at Lord’s, with furious MCC members confronting Australia players in the Long Room, and Warner himself having to be held back by security.
‘For me, it was laughable,’ reflects Warner, sitting with Mail Sport just in front of the spot where that ugly altercation unfolded. ‘I just found it funny how people behaved. I’ve got no bad memories of it – just some people who wanted to react the way they did.’
Three months from now, England players can expect a similarly hostile reception from the Australian public when they go Down Under for the return Ashes series. This time, though, pantomime villain Warner will not be at the centre of the action but commentating on it for Fox Sports, having retired from international cricket last year.
‘You always want to be a part of it, but I just don’t think I can get on the field again and be out there for five days,’ admits the 38-year-old, dressed in London Spirit’s black and blue colours. ‘Now that I’ve had some time off from it, it’s not something that I want to do.’
Also commentating in Australia – but in the Channel Seven booth – is Warner’s nemesis Stuart Broad, who dismissed him a remarkable 17 times in the Ashes.
Aussie cricket great David Warner has opened up on that controversial Ashes Test at Lord’s in 2023, his relationship with Stuart Broad and has also doubled down on his comments about Joe Root
Warner (left, pictured with Liam Dawson) returned to Lord’s on Tuesday night as he began his Hundred campaign with London Spirit
The former Australian opener (pictured) endured a difficult evening at the crease, as he struck nine runs off 10 deliveries before he was dismissed by Oval Invincibles’ Jordan Clark
‘He will add a lot of value to that – he has great insight and great knowledge from a bowling perspective, especially in Australia,’ admits Warner.
‘My relationship is good with him. We always had a great battle on the field, but off the field, we have all got families and everything now, so it’s all sweet.’
Try salty. As recently as last weekend, Broad took to social media to hit back at his old Ashes rival following disparaging comments he made about Joe Root in a BBC interview.
Warner said of Test cricket’s second-highest run-scorer: ‘Hazlewood tends to have his number quite a lot. He will have to take the surfboard off his front leg.’ To which Broad responded on X: ‘Just for clarity, Hazlewood has got Rooty lbw in Test cricket three times.’
Warner, however, is in no mood to backtrack on his comments. When asked by Mail Sport if he really does believe Root is an lbw candidate in Australia, he replies: ‘Yeah, massively. That’s where we always targeted him.
‘The other thing is, Joe might try and walk in the line of it. But I think in Australia if you tend to do that, then you bring in the outside edge. The way that he brings down his bat playing on Australian wickets, it can bring him undone and I’ve seen it in the past.
‘I think he will have nightmares before he gets over here about Josh Hazlewood. A bit like me and Broady.
‘Joe is a hell of a cricket player, look at the runs he has scored, the second leading run-scorer in the world. But I’m sure he’d like to score a hundred in Australia. It’s one that has alluded him. I think that will be on his mind, so we will have to wait and see.’
Spirit ultimately suffered a six-wicket defeat by their London rivals, Oval Invincibles, with Kiwi batsman Kane Williamson (left) also struggling to find runs on a slow Lord’s pitch
Warner reflected to Daily Mail Sport on the last time he was at Lord’s during the 2023 Ashes Series. The game exploded when Jonny Bairstow (left) was controversially dismissed by Aussie wicketkeeper Alex Carey
Things became heated as Australia left the pitch, with MCG members directing abuse at several Aussie players following Bairstow’s bizarre dismissal
Warner has a similar warning to England’s other centurion from their agonising six-run defeat to India at the Oval, Harry Brook. And he agrees with his former team-mate Steve Smith, who told Mail Sport last week that England’s ultra-aggressive Bazball batting will not work Down Under.
‘If England want to take that approach in Australia, they are going to have to expect a deep third man, a deep backward point, two men out square on the leg side, and then you can play your shots,’ says Warner.
‘There are going to be a lot of chances and Australia will have to take them. In Australia, there is not one place where you can drive on the up and play shots willy nilly. Especially in the last two years, the wickets have been very conducive.
‘If they start bowling the bumper barrage, like they have done in the past few years, there are going to be no real answers.
‘Guys like Brooky can come out and play the way he wants, but he is going to have to start practising more on the short ball because I think that’s what he is going to get.’
And it is not just England’s batting that Warner thinks could be found wanting in Australia.
‘You have to take 20 wickets,’ he says. ‘You are going to struggle if Australia puts 500-plus on the board. It’s always hard to come back from.
‘How is Australia’s top order looking at the moment as well? That’s another question. But it will be hard for you guys to take wickets.
Warner also opened up on his relationship with his old nemesis Stuart Broad, who is here pictured remonstrating with the Australian’s following Bairstow’s controversial dismissal
Despite their rivalry over the years, Warner (right) said that he and Broad (left) had a ‘good relationship’. Warner also said that Broad will ‘add a lot of value’ to Channel Seven’s coverage of the Ashes this winter
The Aussie opener also doubled down on his comments about Joe Root (pictured) stating affirming again that he believes the England batter is an lbw candidate
Warner (right) said of Test cricket’s second-highest run-scorer (Root, left): ‘Hazlewood tends to have his number quite a lot. He will have to take the surfboard off his front leg’
Warner is predicting a comfortable series win for his country, who have not lost a home series – or even a Test – against England since 2010-11
The former Aussie Test batsman won’t be taking part in this year’s Ashes Series but he will get to face off against several former foes in The Hundred, including Jimmy Anderson who will play for The Manchester Originals
Warner will experience a frosty reception when he travels to Cardiff to take on Steve Smith’s Welsh Fire, but he is unbothered by the reception: ‘I am just here to do my job – that’s try to score runs’
‘If they’ve got guys who can keep zeroing in on that top of off, England can do well, but they will have to try and get Steve Smith in as early as possible.’
No wonder, then, that Warner is predicting a comfortable series win for his country, who have not lost a home series – or even a Test – against England since 2010-11.
‘There will be a washout or a draw somewhere,’ he says. ‘I’d like it to be 4-0, but it’s probably going to be 3-1 to Australia.’
While Warner will not be taking on the old enemy himself this winter, he will get the chance to face some familiar foes in the Hundred. That includes Jimmy Anderson, who is making his debut in the competition for Manchester Originals at the grand old age of 43.
‘It’s exciting,’ says Warner. ‘The game owes us nothing and we owe it a lot, so it’s great to see him back playing and giving back to the sport. A lot of youngsters can learn from him as well. I will try my best to score some runs off him.’
Warner scored just nine on his Hundred debut on Tuesday night, as London Spirit were thrashed by champions Oval Invincibles in their competition opener. He will next come up against Smith’s Welsh Fire on Saturday in Cardiff, where he is braced to receive some stick from the crowd.
‘It doesn’t bother me how people react,’ he adds. ‘The crowd are going to like you or dislike you. But I am just here to do my job – that’s to try and score runs and help the team get the win.’
