Warner trusts his attacking instincts to serve him well in final Ashes

IT MIGHT have lacked the sheer impudence of Zak Crawley's first-ball four in Birmingham, but David Warner's aggressive start to yesterday's Second Ashes Test was exactly the kind of innings England demand from their own openers.

- Malik Ouzia

The runs were one thing - 66 of them coming in just 88 balls, the first time Warner had made a half-century on these shores since the 2015 series. But perhaps more important was that commodity England place so much value on when, for instance, defending Crawley's place in the side, namely, momentum.

It had swung notably England's way at the toss yesterday in helpful bowling conditions, and perhaps the age-old adage about there being one coming soon with the batter's name on it helped free Warner from the outset.