"The decision on David Warner is a really tricky thing. If they had won the Ashes, it would have been a time to move on, but now it's a live game, they need and have to play Warner; Sangakkara: "I think now they'll have to play Warner"; Watch fourth Test live on Sky Sports from July 19
Saturday 15 July 2023 16:47, UK
Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain and Kumar Sangakkara say Australia must now stick with David Warner for the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester, despite his troubles facing England's Stuart Broad.
England kept the Ashes alive on Sunday as Harry Brook hit 75 before Chris Woakes and Mark Wood clinched a nerve-jangling three-wicket victory over Australia on day four of the third Test at Headingley.
England's successful chase of 251 cut their deficit to 2-1 in the series and maintained their hopes of becoming only the second side, after Don Bradman's Australia in 1936/37, to win the Ashes from 2-0 down.
Australia missed out on retaining the urn at the earliest possible opportunity and will now instead look to clinch the series at Emirates Old Trafford from Wednesday July 19, live on Sky Sports, with much of the talk afterwards focussing on Warner's batting totals of four and one in the Test, as he was dismissed by Broad for a record 17th time.
"It's the decision on David Warner. It is a really tricky thing," Hussain told Sky Sports.
"I think if they'd won here [third Test at Headingley], and they had won the Ashes, it would have been a time to move on from David Warner, but now it's a live game, I think they need and have to play Warner.
"My point being you could play Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh [all-rounders] and leave Warner out, but then who opens?
"You might have to move Labuschagne, or even Marsh opens in white ball cricket at times, so he could do it. But it's a different challenge.
"That's a specialist role: opening in Test match cricket. They'll have to think long and hard about who opens the batting at Old Trafford."
Sangakkara added: "I think now they'll have to play Warner. I'm not sure whether changing that is going to be the answer, but it will be up for discussion, if they have an opener ready.
"To balance the side out, are they going to leave Mitchell Marsh out? There's a lot of additions to be made, but that opening spot is critical for Australia.
"They need partnerships there. They need a 40, 50, 60 run partnership there to let the other batters go and have a bit of a breather.
"Labuschagne hasn't been in great run-scoring form. He's just trying to survive out there.
"I think Warner might not get another opportunity, but they will discuss that."
In his post-match interview with Sky Sports Cricket's Michael Atherton, Australia skipper Pat Cummins was unequivocal in his support of Warner.
"Yeah of course [have faith in Warner]. I thought, particularly last week at Lord's, he was fantastic," Cummins said.
"A few of the chances he's got out there to bat, it's been floodlights and clouds up above, so I'm really happy with how everyone is going."
Sky Sports Cricket's Mark Butcher:
"It is technical and mental.
"In the first place it starts off as technical, trying to adjust to the angle from around the wicket. Broad is an expert at getting that ball to move away late having created the angle back at the stumps. When that happens two or three times, it gets in your head.
"You are trying to figure out a way of stopping nicking it and then you get bowled through the gate. Then you make an adjustment to stop yourself getting bowled and you go back to nicking it again. It drives you completely insane.
"I can't come up with an answer as to how he gets away from it, apart from running down the wicket, getting a thigh pad on it and getting up the other end and waiting until the spell is over.
"It looks like it is going to happen every time, Broad expects it to happen every time."
Watch day one of the fourth Ashes Test live on Sky Sports Cricket on Wednesday July 19. Build-up from 10am, first ball at 11am. You can stream the men's and women's Ashes series on NOW.
