'It's Copped a Battering, But I Was...': Warner After Scoring Vital Fifty in Lord's Test Despite Hand Injury
Warner scored a fifty with a bruised hand [AP Photo]
Australian opener David Warner displayed exception resilience as he notched up a hard-fought half-century while grappling with a severely bruised hand on the opening day of the second Ashes 2023 Test at the Lord's on Wednesday.
David Warner scored a defiant half-century amidst the pain
The southpaw candidly admitted that his hand is presently afflicted with a nagging soreness and revealed his intention to have it thoroughly examined subsequent to the conclusion of the ongoing Ashes Test.
Over the course of the past few weeks, the 36-year-old cricketing stalwart has been subjected to a series of agonizing blows on his hands during the World Test Championship (WTC) encounter against India and then by Australian batting coach, Michael Di Venuto, during a rigorous net practice session.
Despite grappling with this vexing injury, Warner showed tremendous courage and determination as he scored 66 runs off a mere 88 deliveries before being bowled by Josh Tongue. This pivotal knock arrived at a crucial juncture, as England, having won the toss, promptly elected to send Australia in to bat amidst overcast conditions.
While speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Warner conveyed that his hand had endured significant strain in the past two matches and during practice sessions, resulting in a mild soreness and a bruise.
"It's copped a battering the last two games, and in the nets, so it's little bit sore at the moment, bit of a bruise but I'll just see how we go after the game and I think we'll examine it then. At the moment it's quite tender,” said Warner.
Warner confidently stated that he never doubted himself despite the condition. He added that primarily, the soreness was concentrated in his palm, specifically in an area where his thumb is located.
Moreover, Warner revealed that he received a blow to the knuckle, reminiscent of the previous strike inflicted by Mohammed Shami during the WTC final
"[I was] never in doubt, [but] it was quite sore. Then today I got hit back in the knuckle which I think Mohammed Shami hit me [on] in that World Test Championship,” added the seasoned batter.
The dynamic opener divulged that in order to mitigate the lingering soreness, he resorted to putting his afflicted hand in an ice-filled bucket for a long time.
 "Jatin")
