Warner eyes No. 1 spot, targets ‘bigger goals’

Just five days after a run-scoring party – 488 in just 38.5 overs – Australia and New Zealand are set to battle it out again at Eden Park in Auckland again. The stakes, this time around, are much higher, with the Trans-Tasman Twenty20 International Tri-Series trophy on the line come Wednesday, 21 February.

For Australia, who started the series placed No. 7 on the MRF Tyres ICC T20I Team Rankings, the final bears even greater significance, as a win will catapult them all the way to the top of the rankings.

David Warner, the Australia captain for the series, was understandably excited at the prospect of his team reaching the No. 1 position but stressed that the bigger goal was to win the ICC World Twenty20 2020. It’s a trophy Australia have never won.

“It's fascinating how the points system works in that sort of scenario,” said Warner ahead of the final. “We have always spoken about trying to be No. 1 in all formats of the game. In the Twenty20 format and one-day cricket, you try and win as many series as you can. But at the end of the day, it is the bigger goals and the bigger goal is winning the World Cups and that is where it should stand.

“Obviously the tri-series scenario is fantastic and I think it is great preparation leading into a World Cup in a couple years’ time. I think there should be more of that.”

With Steve Smith rested for the tri-series along with a majority of the seniors, Warner has marshalled his troops well as Australia have won all their games so far. Was he thinking about it as a possible long-term arrangement?

“We spoke about one of us in the leadership group staying back and leading the team, and obviously I put my hand up for that,” said Warner. “At the end of the day, it's up to Steve. If he thinks his workloads are too high and he doesn't feel like he can do that, I'm sure he'll put his hand up and step aside.”

After the high of winning the Ashes 2017-18 series 4-0, Australia had a disappointing five-match one-day international series against England, going down 4-1. The turnaround in the tri-series, Warner felt, was thanks to the fresh legs that were brought in.

“Having guys come out of the Big Bash and doing so well is great,” said Warner. “We had a disappointing one-day series, I felt we were a little cooked up after the Test series. And it is great for those guys to go over to South Africa to prepare for the Test match series and inject a lot of younger guys and guys that are in form (into the T20I side).”

As for his own form, it was iffy in the ODIs and then in the first three T20Is, till Warner bounced back with a frenetic 24-ball 59 in the last game. “I found it a little difficult this time around, switching from Test to white ball, purely on the fact the way that the game was played,” he said. “We got shut down a lot on the scoreboard, we had to sort of bat big; they (England) bowled fantastic to us (in the ODIs). A lot of us had a mental meltdown, but I am not complaining now.”

Warner felt the pitch at Eden Park was a bit drier as compared to the earlier game, which could lead to Australia adding Adam Zampa to the attack alongside Ashton Agar. Choosing not to play the prediction game, Warner only said, “The surface did look a bit drier than the last game. There's obviously a bit of weather around. We'll probably get a look at it tonight hopefully if the weather holds off.”