Michael Roberts, 13 January 2012
Having provided the world with the imagery of a “pocket rocket” cricket has now produced the “Nugget Knocket” in David Warner. Emerging first as blaster opening batsman in the T20 form David Warner has demonstrated that he can strike and caress his way to a rapid-fire century in the more demanding circumstances of test cricket.
His century in 69 balls at Perth on Friday 13th January bushwhacked Indian the bowlers after the Aussie pace bowlers had ambushed the hapless Indian batsmen. Ironically, Sehwag was among those sehwagged by the Nugget Knocket.
Since we are into comparisons s,ome people may think of three other left-handed opening batsmen who have been master blasters in all forms of cricket, namely Adam Gilchrist, Chris Gayle and Sanath Jayasuriya. Gayle, however is a giant while Gilchrist is not a shortie, though he has scored a faster hundred. Jayasuriya, on the other hand, has not scored a Test century as fast as Gilchrist or Warner or Gayle.
Ultimately, however, the Warner innings reminds one of Roy Fredericks because the latter was also short and scored a quick-fire hundred on the same WACA ground.