Injured Australian opener David Warner said Tuesday he was confident of being ready for the first Test against New Zealand next month as he slowly recovers from a broken thumb.
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That shield match against South Australia at Adelaide Oval is doubly important because it will be a day-nighter played with a pink ball to simulate conditions for the historic first day-night Test – the second of the three-Test series against New Zealand – at the same ground.
“I think it will come down to when I have to catch a ball when I’ll be a little bit hesitant”.
The team will enter the season under new full time leaders in captain Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner, and without recent retirees Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Chris Rogers and Shane Watson.
Warner said: “My goal is to play that Shield game, I want to play that Shield game to have a hit, because I don’t think I’ll be able to get out here and play the last couple of games of the Matador”.
With the Test squad members now playing for their respective state teams in the domestic one-day cup in Sydney, the two-day camp will give the Test aspirants a hit-out with the red ball.
Should he not be fit for the Shield clash, Australia’s new vice-captain said not having a first-class match before the Test would not be a major hindrance – provided his thumb had healed. “I’ll see on Friday with the X-ray how it is”. But batting against bowlers is going to be the key.
“Whoever it is I’ve got to look at a few of their footage and how they play as well, because I like to know my partner. That’s getting it right with the bat first and then we’ll worry about the fielding and catching later”, he added.
“Next Monday I want to try and have a hit…”
The first Test against New Zealand is at Brisbane’s Gabba from November 5.
The players will undergo two days of centre wicket training and a variety of other exercises to keep the players match-fit ahead of the 2015 Trans-Tasman Trophy. A lot of the guys who are going to be picked aren’t too experienced, but there’s a lot of guys there to help them along the way.
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“And making sure they are entertaining people (with their cricket) the whole time, and we have been very good at that over the last 12 months”.
