SYDNEY: Australian opener David Warner yesterday denied he was feeling the pressure after a lean run and said it was only a matter of time before he hits his explosive best again.
The left-hander, whose stunning 180 against India this year prompted comparisons with batting great Adam Gilchrist, has struggled since then and failed again in the first Test against South Africa.
But the 26-year-old said he wasn’t concerned, despite watching fellow opener Ed Cowan, captain Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey all help themselves to big scores in Brisbane while he was out for four.
“I don’t think so at all,” Warner told reporters when asked if he felt under pressure heading into the second Test in Adelaide next week.
“As long as we are winning games and we are on the way to becoming number one... as long as we are winning games, that’s all that counts. “I’m feeling good, I’m nice and refreshed. I’m ready to go again.
“I’ve been sitting in the changing room for a long time watching the other guys score a lot of runs and I’m ready to get back out there myself,” he added.
Warner said he was looking forward to proving himself against South Africa’s world-class pace attack in Adelaide and vowed to continue his aggressive approach.
“I’ll be hitting a lot of balls this week and I will prepare as well as I can prepare,” he said.
“Nothing changes for me, it’s a simple game plan ... all guns blazing if I can.”
Meanwhile, a Pakistani asylum-seeker and leg-spin bowler who helped Australia as they prepared for the first Test against South Africa was Thursday rewarded with a permanent visa to stay in the country.
Fawad Ahmed, who left his home in the border region near Afghanistan to come to Australia on a short-stay visa to play cricket in 2010, was granted his wish to stay after the personal intervention of Immigration Minister Chris Bowen.
“Chris Bowen has personally considered Mr Ahmed’s case and decided to grant a permanent visa for him to be able to stay, work and play cricket in Australia,” an immigration spokesman said.
Ahmed, 30, has previously said he was targeted by Muslim extremists in Pakistan because of his involvement in cricket, even receiving death threats because of the perception that the sport promotes Western values. At the urging of opener Ed Cowan, Australia decided to use him in the nets for batting practice during the South Africa series because of the similarities in his bowling to the Proteas’ leg-spinner Imran Tahir. Ahmed is familiar with naturalised South African Tahir, having played against him when they were both in Pakistan’s domestic cricket. AGENCIES
