Test star Warner survives first-round clash with arch-rival Stuart Broad on Day one of Test match

He may have survived the end of a torrid final session on day one of The Ashes, but all eyes will be on Aussie opener David Warner when he faces up to his kryptonite Stuart Broad again today.

Australia will continue its innings at a score of 0-14 on day two today.  with Warner standing undefeated on eight runs, while his opening partner Usman Khawaja has contributed four runs so far. 

This follows England’s impressive total of 8-393, achieved in just 78 overs, largely propelled by Joe Root‘s outstanding unbeaten knock of 118 runs. 

The biggest subscript today will be the battle between Warner and Broad.

Both locked horns repeatedly in the Ashes Test series of 2019 where Broad had the clear wood on Warner, keeping the pugnacious opener to a series average of just 9.5.

Uzman Khawaja (left) and David Warner (right) smile as they go off undefeated after a torrid England spell at the conclusion of Day one of the Edgbaston  Ashes Test

A moment to savour for Warner as he crashes one by Broad headed straight to the boundary during the first innings – a scene that made all of Australia rejoice

Broad was picked for the first Test at Edgbaston because of his dominance of Warner in the 2019 Ashes series in England

Broad and Warner have confronted each other in 26 Test matches since 2013, and during this period, Broad has managed to dismiss Warner on 14 occasions. 

Notably, half of these dismissals occurred during the 2019 Ashes series.

Warner has battled for form in recent times as well, with his Test career on the line in this Ashes series.

Since the start of 2021, Warner has scored just 958 runs in 20 Tests at an average of 29.03, with just a single ton to his name.

No matter what, this will be Warner’s final Ashes campaign on English soil and the prolific scorer is hoping to go big against the old enemy.

To do that he needs to exorcise the demon that is Stuart Broad and on day one he managed to so, sending two of the bowler’s fastest deliveries to the boundary for an unbeaten eight. 

It comes after Scott Boland, long regarded as the most economical bowler in the world, went for 1-86 off 14 overs as England made a point to use their feet to the Victorian and go after him.

Nathan Lyon took 4-149 among the chaos, going at more than a run a ball while still providing key breakthroughs and getting the key scalp of Jonny Bairstow for 78.

Australia, though, insist they can still walk away from the day happy.

‘You’ve got to try and look at probably the end score,’ Josh Hazlewood said.

‘Basically all out for just under 400. You take that on that wicket for sure. Whether it takes 80 overs or 160, it’s the same score.’