For the first time I wasn’t abused in England, says Warner after 1st T20I

David Warner joked that the first T20I between Australia and England was also the first time he played in the United Kingdom and faced no abuse from the crowd. The three-match T20I series and the subsequent three-match ODI series will both be played behind closed doors due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

“It was the first time I’ve been here (England) and not got abuse. It was quite nice,” Warner said after Friday’s match which Australia surprisingly lost despite cruising at the halfway mark of their chase at the Ageas Bowl. “You get that up and going (from the crowd). That’s why we love playing home and away. There’s home advantage and away advantage.”

Warner and Steve Smith were the target of constant boos and jeers from the English crowd throughout their extensive summer in the country for the ODI World Cup and the Ashes. Smith had said before the start of the series that he would miss the English crowds during the series.

“But we’re always up for international cricket. We’re just grateful to be back playing and want to make the most of that,” said Warner.

He, however, said that there are no excuses for the defeat. Chasing a target of 163, Australia were cruising at 124/1 in the 13th over. But a middle order collapse in the death overs saw Australia lose the match by two runs.

“Towards the end they (England) bowled exceptionally well, they knocked us over quite comprehensively,” said Warner, who scored 58.

“I think we just have to try to be a little bit smarter and work out how we’re going to hit our boundaries. We have to try to keep rotating strike and keep finding the boundary in those middle overs.”

The two teams will now face each other in the second T20I on Sunday.