David Warner experienced a nightmare return to the Australian Test side as he was dismissed cheaply by Stuart Broad during the early stages of the Ashes series against England on Thursday.
Having served a 12-month ban for his role in the Sandpaper scandal last year, the Australian opener was greeted with a chorus of boos by the English crowd, who ripped up one of the most raucous opening-day atmospheres in recent Ashes memory.
Both the opening English bowlers did not give easy run-scoring opportunities to the Australian pair – David Warner and Cameron Bancroft – and Stuart Broad eventually got past the defence of the former and trapped him in front of the wickets to send the left-hander back for just two runs.
As Warner was walking off the field, the Edgbaston crowd gave him a send-off by showing him sandpapers.
YEEESSS @StuartBroad8!! GET IN!!
Scorecard/Clips: https://t.co/1J6wGj3xwv pic.twitter.com/UaYWyvOZec
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 1, 2019
It’s a sandpaper send off from the Hollies.
David Warner gone for the second time today from Stuart Broad. #TheAshes | #ENGvAUS | #Edgbaston pic.twitter.com/I2xhk3MK2q
— Ploughmans CC (@PloughmansCC) August 1, 2019
Four overs later, Bancroft followed after edging to Joe Root in the slips, giving Broad his second wicket of the day in only his fourth over.
The boos returned for Bancroft’s departure along with the sandpaper, but the biggest jeers were saved for the arrival of Steve Smith. However, the former Australia captain responded to the taunts with a magnificent century (144 runs off 219 balls) in his comeback innings and powered his team to a comprehensive 284 on the opening day of the first Ashes Test.
