When David Warner nicked one to Zak Crawley at slips just before Tea on the second day of the Leeds Test, he'd fallen to Stuart Broad for a staggering 17th time in the format - and third time in the series. It also marked yet another forgettable outing for the veteran opener, who now averages a measly 23.50 in Ashes 2023 with a highest of 66 across the six innings so far. Australia captain Pat Cummins however, threw his weight behind Warner and hinted at not changing the opening pair for the next Test at Old Trafford.
"I think [Warner] has been going really well. I thought at Lord's, he was really impressive. Last week, like many of us, he probably didn't contribute as much as he would have liked with the bat," Cummins said.
"He's been out there over the last couple of days putting in a lot of work, but I think this tour he has shown a lot of good signs and hasn't quite kicked on to make that big score. Some of those innings he's played under really tough circumstances has made it easy for [Steven] Smith to come in and score runs, or the like.
"We'll chat about it [opening combinations] but I imagine it will stay the same," Cummins said.
With Warner seemingly safe from the axe, Australia's dilemma heading to the fourth Test could be about whether they bring back Cameron Green.
The 24-year-old all-rounder missed the Leeds game with a side strain and his replacement Mitchell Marsh nailed down his spot with a run-a-ball 118 in the first innings. For Green to be back, Australia might have to relegate Todd Murphy to the bench.
