BRISBANE, Australia // David Warner kept on swinging after his first Ashes Test century on Saturday, saying England looked frightened and Jonathan Trott had shown a flaw in his batting technique.
Warner and skipper Michael Clarke led the way with centuries to put Australia in an overwhelming position with two days to play and poised to go one-up in the five-Test series after losing 3-0 to England three months ago.
England will have to create Ashes history to win at the Gabba after Clarke set the beleaguered tourists an improbable 561 runs to win with a declaration, but more likely they will be trying to salvage a draw.
Warner raised his fourth Test ton with 124 off 154 balls but he continued to pepper the English after stumps.
“Our bowlers are bowling fast at the moment. England are on the back foot,” Warner told reporters.
“It does look like they’ve got scared eyes at the moment. The way that Trotty (Jonathan Trott) got out today was pretty poor and weak. Obviously there’s a weakness there and we’re on top of it at the moment.”
Trott pulled tearaway speedster Mitchell Johnson straight to Nathan Lyon at deep square leg for nine in one of two England wickets to fall Saturday to complete a sorry match after scoring 10 in the first dig,
“I think he’s (Trott) got to get new sledges as well because it’s not working for him at the moment,” fired Warner.
“He’s probably worked hard in the nets on the short ball, but trying to face 150 kmh short ball from Mitch Johnson the way to go is probably not trying to back away.”
Fast bowler James Anderson defended his teammate Trott, saying he was going through a difficult period.
“A guy like that doesn’t average 50 in Test cricket because he can’t play the short ball,” Anderson said. “He can, he’s obviously having a tough ‘trot’ at the moment, he’s going through a difficult period, and we know that he’s got a lot of character and a lot of skill and enough to come out the other end.”
Warner said although the match was still to be won, a victory at the Gabba would be a massive boost for Australia going into the rest of the series.
“It will be massive to get a 1-0 lead in the five-Test series. If the Tests were back to back it would be quite tough on the English bowlers to try and back up,” he said.
“We will all have a good break after this so hopefully we can take the eight wickets tomorrow and take it from there.”
Warner said his first Ashes Test ton was a “personal milestone”, adding: “I’m here to do a job and today I did that and so did Michael Clarke.”
Anderson said Warner thrived on the freedom to bat after Australia seized a 159-run innings lead after routing England for just 136 in their first innings.
“That’s just the sort of player he is, he’s an attacking player and today was almost perfect for someone like that, he could go out there almost carefree and take the attack to the bowlers,” he said.
