'Never looked comfortable': Pressure builds on Bancroft and Warner
David Warner and Cameron Bancroft have endured difficult returns to Test cricket with both openers dismissed cheaply in the first match of the Ashes series.
Warner, who enjoyed some good-humoured exchanges with the rowdy England fans in the Hollies Stand at Edgbaston, recorded just 10 runs for the match - his lowest return in an Ashes encounter.
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The 32-year-old was fielding just in front of the boundary in the latter stages of England's first innings on Saturday where he was taunted with chants of "he's got sandpaper in his pants".
Smiling and laughing, Warner then pulled out his empty pockets and showed them to the beer-fuelled, fancy dress-clad fans who in turn responded with a huge cheer.
However, there were no smiles from the Sydneysider about an hour later when the third umpire overturned a not out on-field decision after footage showed he'd edged a Stuart Broad delivery into the gloves of Jonny Bairstow for eight.
It followed the two runs Warner scored in the first innings after he failed to review an lbw decision that would have been overturned.
Despite his lean return in Birmingham, Australia quick James Pattinson said Warner remained in good spirits.
"The good thing with Davy he is just the same person whether he is scoring runs or not," Pattinson said.
Really ugly Test return for Cameron Bancroft, picked ahead of Marcus Harris remember, 7 in the second innings after 8 in the first, both openers out for 25 runs TOTAL in the match. Bancroft never looked comfortable.
— Russell Gould (@gouldyheraldsun) August 3, 2019
Edgbaston is totally bouncing and think Warner and Bancroft have suffered with the constant abuse getting 2 low scores. Could be a very long series for both batsmen #Ashes
— Dipesh Shah (@mrdipeshashah) August 3, 2019
Maybe if they picked the right batsmen! Old Bancroft is a walking wicket. The bairstow send off was all time
— Beau 🚴♂️🚴🏼♂️🚴🏾♂️ (@BeauBremner) August 3, 2019
"He is always bubbly around the team and obviously with everything that is going on with the crowd he seems to cope with it pretty fine.
"That is the type of person he is. He is all about the team and it doesn't matter if he is getting runs or whether he doesn't. He is always up and about the dressing room."
Bancroft, who scored two in his first innings, once again saw his technique face a stiff examination against the new-ball pairing of Broad and Chris Woakes.
However, it was off-spinner Moeen Ali who dismissed Bancroft for seven in his second visit to the crease after he prodded the ball into the grateful hands of short-leg fielder Jos Buttler.
