Warner sets sights on WC 2019

DARWIN, Australia: Banished opening batsman David Warner says he is looking to be part of Australia’s World Cup defence in England next year after his first hit-out at home on Saturday.

The pugnacious Warner smacked 36 runs off 32 balls in the Northern Territory Strike League in Darwin as he searches for match practice to gear for his return to top-level cricket early next year.

Warner, 31, was handed a one-year ban from international and state cricket by Cricket Australia for his role in helping to devise a plan to rub sandpaper on the ball during a Test match against South Africa in March.

He had pledged to play in the cricket outpost while he was involved in community coaching work earlier this year as part of the terms of his ban, and made good his offer in his side City Cyclones’ comfortable win against Northern Tide in a 50-over fixture.

“I’m pretty good when I’m fresh,” Warner told reporters.

“If you look at the last 12 months, I played basically every game (for Australia) and didn’t get a rest.

“I had a five-day turnaround before the first Test in South Africa and I led the team in (the T20 tri-series in Australia and) New Zealand when some of the other guys had a rest.

“So I know that the breaks do me (good), and you don’t lose form overnight.”