David Warner can play Test cricket for another year post 164 at Perth, says Ian Healy

Perth, Dec 18 (IANS) Former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy believes David Warner can play Test cricket for another year after the veteran opener made a fine 164 in the hosts’ first Test win over Pakistan by 360 runs at the Optus Stadium in Perth.

Warner, potentially playing his last Test series, set the game up for Australia on day one of the Test, scoring 164 from 211 balls as the hosts’ made 487 in their first innings, which laid the base for them winning the game in four days.

“What I love about him is his durability. We all know how fit he must be because he's maintained his pace between wickets. I just love the way that he kept going and his feet moved.”

“This is the bit I agree about Mitchell Johnson and what he said about, ‘Why have a swansong, your last three years hasn't been very good and now you're picking the way you can retire’.”

“But if he bats like that, he can go another year for mine until he doesn't want to play anymore. That's what he's been missing in Test cricket, that footwork, balance and real bat speed when he needed it,” said Healy on SEN Radio.

Though Warner got out for a duck in the second innings, Healy thinks his job had been done by then. “That 160 he made in the first innings won us a Test in Perth. It wasn't easy. I looked at it from afar on Thursday afternoon and I said, ‘Oh, jeez, I wouldn't like to be Pakistan’, they are going to feel about a foot shorter than they actually are tomorrow afternoon not knowing how difficult the conditions were.”

“Maybe Pakistan missed the trick in the first session (on Day 1), bowling too short, but I don't know of anyone else that can make 160 that quick in tough conditions. I like the way Michael Slater made tough second innings batting conditions look. Mark Waugh could also make a mockery out of tough conditions, but David Warner was outstanding.”

Healy signed off by saying that he would have considered Warner to be Player of the Match instead of Mitchell Marsh. “I would have put him man of the match. When I found out how difficult those conditions were on Day 1 given that the commentators were saying pre-match about this pitch that, ‘Oh, I'll be great for bowling’… I would be putting David Warner as Man of the Match.”