Andrew McDonald's telling call amid David Warner's dream of SCG Test farewell

Australia cricket coach Andrew McDonald has offered a telling indication that David Warner has done enough to earn himself a dream farewell at the SCG in January, after hailing the opener's 'outstanding' end to the Ashes series. Warner gave the Aussies a shot at chasing down what would have been a record target of 384 at The Oval, after combining with Usman Khawaja in a century opening stand in the fifth Test, before being dismissed for 60.

Warner also made 24 runs in the first innings, with those two knocks largely summing up the veteran's series with the bat. Warner - whose future at the top of the order has been under an intense spotlight - hit two half-centuries in 10 attempts and made five scores between 20 and 40 for an underwhelming average of 28.5 across the five Tests in England.

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It was a considerable improvement on his previous Ashes tour to England, where the 36-year-old averaged a measly 9.5. However, that big score that would have all but cemented Warner's place at the top of the order for Australia's home Test series over the summer ultimately eluded the 36-year-old.

Regardless, Australia's coach offered his biggest hint yet that Warner had earned the right to bow out of Test cricket on his own terms. Warner announced earlier this year that he wanted to retire from red-ball cricket after the third Test against Pakistan in January, which will take place on his SCG home ground.

"Dave was picked in the last Test match here (at The Oval) and the way he went about it after a certain period of time was outstanding," McDonald said. "He's always going to have some sort of speculation around what he's doing and where he's heading.

"But we've got a long time before that first Test match in Australia in Perth (in mid-December). We're not in any rush to make any key decisions ... for any format."

Aussie coach and captain impressed by David Warner

Warner is also set to feature in Australia's upcoming limited-overs schedule, culminating in the one-day World Cup in India, over October and November. McDonald suggested Warner's form in the World Cup would be unlikely to impact his Test selection. The coach's encouragement for the 36-year-old followed similar comments from skipper Pat Cummins.

"There were some times he looked really good, played some really important innings," the Aussie captain said about Warner. "The thing about playing in England, you can get the conditions against you.

"He walked out sometimes under lights and clouds, and a 30 there is worth double. The (140-run) partnership he put on... with Uz (Khawaja) was fantastic. It was probably the story of the tour. So many moments where he felt like he got on top of the game and (England) got themselves back in."

The comments from Australia's captain and coach come after Test great Mark Taylor admitted Warner's spot in the Test side is going to be a "tough" decision for selectors. "I thought ... if he went out there and made a hundred and we won the game (in the final Ashes Test), he's inked himself in for the next three (matches) in Australia," Taylor told Wide World of Sports.

"The fact he made 60, got a good delivery, to be fair to him, and now we're not really sure what to do. There's something like four or five rounds of (Sheffield) Shield cricket before that first Test (on December 14).

"I reckon the selectors will be having a look at those Test matches and thinking, 'Now, do we keep David?'. We know what he can do. Or do we start thinking about the future? And that's going to be a real tough one."

Outside of a brilliant double century against South Africa at the MCG last December, Warner has failed to reach triple figures in nearly three years. He registered scores of 9, 36, 66, 25, 4, 1, 32, 28, 24 and 60 across the five Ashes Tests for his average of 28.5.

with agencies

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