Melbourne: Former Australia player Ricky Ponting feels that David Warner missed scoring opportunities during day two of the second Ashes Test on Thursday.
Warner only managed to score three runs off 17 balls before Stuart Broad got hold of him.
“I think the thing that would disappoint Davey the most was the fact there were a few clear scoring opportunities that he missed. There were a few really wide ones that he would generally pounce on and cut, and there was a half volley that he got a thick outside edge on and went to backward point,” Cricket.com.au quoted Warner as saying.
Ponting believes that Warner needs to ‘free himself’ in the mind.
“If he puts those three balls away, it’s a totally different game. You’re off to a flyer and the pressure goes back onto the bowler. The ones that he missed out on were short and wide, which says to me that he wasn’t as free in the mind as he should have been. He plays his best when he’s playing the ball and hitting the ball hard. That’s going to be the challenge for him; to free himself up in the mind, watch the ball and react accordingly,” he said.
Warner has not even reached double-digits in the Ashes this time as he was dismissed on two and eight runs in the first and second innings respectively in the first Ashes. However, Steve Smith scored a century in both the innings and helped Australia win the first Ashes Test match by 251 runs.
In the second Ashes Test, day one was abandoned due to rain and on day two, England were all out after scoring 258. Australia are currently playing at 30/1 and will continue from the same on day three.