David Warner is toying with the idea of leaving his customary slot at the top of the order and dropping into the Sydney Thunder middle-order this Big Bash season. It would be a genuine shift: of his 423 professional T20 innings, he has opened 382.
Pressed on whether he might still pair with 20-year-old Sam Konstas, Warner grinned. “that’s if I open.” He then explained the broader thinking. “That’s more for a match-up and strategic point of view,” Warner said. “We don’t have that left-hander in the middle [order] that we’ve been looking for. It’s a conversation we’re having at the moment.”
Thunder coaches have run through the alternatives. Matt Gilkes, Nic Maddinson and Blake Nikitaras are obvious left-hand options already in the squad. Last summer the club tried West Indian Sherfane Rutherford in that role, but his 74 runs in six knocks hardly solved the problem. A floating Warner would, on paper, cover the gap while still leaving Konstas a clear run at the new ball.
Konstas is the other name on everyone’s lips. The opener started the domestic season poorly, undoing hopes of an Ashes call-up, but has since peeled off a Sheffield Shield century and a half-century. Warner’s message is simple: keep scoring. “The best form of currency is runs and he’s doing that at the moment. When you do get thrown in the limelight, it can be a deer in the headlights,” Warner said. “You can get overwhelmed and sucked into the hype around everything. But he has great support around him that will keep him level-headed.”
Match practice, not extra throw-downs, is what Warner believes will cement Konstas’ game-sense. Regarding shot selection he was blunt: “You just have to be brave.”
Responsibility doesn’t sit only with the youngster. “You just have to allow him to keep playing his natural game,” he said. He remembered his own early days, the barrage of advice, well-intentioned but suffocating. “You have to stick true to what you believe in and how you go about your game. He might have changed things. For us, it’s about protecting him and making sure he’s enjoying the game.”
Thunder came second last season, edged out by Hobart Hurricanes in a final they never really controlled. Warner’s assessment remains matter-of-fact. “The way we played, we didn’t expect to make the final. We were very scrappy, we won a lot of close games,” Warner said. “We didn’t play a complete game … there [which] was a bit of a surprise – but it wasn’t a surprise in terms of the way we’re passionate about our team.”
Tuesday’s rematch with the Hurricanes, in Hobart, presents an early gauge. Revenge? Not quite. “I want the guys to look at it as making a statement to the rest of the BBL,” Warner said. “Each season, what’s important is that we rock up with the same attitude and … what can we do better?”
A reshuffled batting card featuring Warner at four is one way to find out.
