By CricketCountry Staff
Former Australian pacer Damien Fleming has heaped praise on the New South Wales Blues batsman David Warner for his innings of 135 off just 69 balls studded with eight sixes and 11 boundaries in their Champions League T20 match against Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday night.
Published: Oct 05, 2011, 10:43 AM (IST)
Edited: Oct 05, 2011, 10:43 AM (IST)
David Warner slammed eight sixes and 11 boundaries in his 69-ball knock of 135 © AFP
By CricketCountry Staff
Melbourne: Oct 5, 2011
Former Australian pacer Damien Fleming has heaped praise on the New South Wales Blues batsman David Warner for his innings of 135 off just 69 balls studded with eight sixes and 11 boundaries in their Champions League T20 match against Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday night.
“Unbelievable. Just unbelievable. That’s why you want to appreciate all forms because watching him switch hit a few times and bash the ball, that’s exhilarating stuff,” ,” Fleming told Fox Sports webportal.
“I do remember Brendon McCullum in the first IPL and at the time it felt like there was a new world. It raised expectations but no one has got close to that before Warner.”
The NSW Blues dashing opener will team up with his West Indies counterpart, Chris Gayle for Sydney Thunder in new-look Big Bash League. Gayle has hit three Twenty20 hundreds and has a career strike-rate of 151.46, and his opening partnership with Warner looks exciting.
“Tactically with the Big Bash it’s all about how strong your squad is as well. So spending a lot of money on those two (Warner and Gayle) you’ve got to make sure you’ve got the bowlers to bowl to that total. But as for crowds and TV ratings for us on Fox Sports, they’re going to be a very exciting team,” Fleming said.
Warner has been working hard to get the tag of ‘T20 specialist’ dissociated from his name. He was a part of Australia A’s tour of Zimbabwe earlier this year, bringing him into calculations for a Test call-up.
In the nine First Class matches, Warner has slammed two tons and averages 53.35.
Based on his performances, he was called into Australia’s Test squad during the Sri Lanka tour, and Fleming said he is on the verge of earning the baggy green.
“What I like about Warner is he’s scoring first-class hundreds now as well so he’s making himself a really complete player who can play all three forms. And we still want all young players aspiring to play all three forms. When you’re out of the team, there’s no guarantee you’ll get in. You’ve got to rely on injury or form. But he got runs for Australia A in first-class cricket so he’s part of the cusp really.”
