[Watch] David Warner drops a sitter off Pat Cummins’ first ball on Day 1 of final Ashes Test
David Warner continued his rough Ashes series by dropping a simple regulation catch off the bowling of Pat Cummins on the opening morning of the fifth Test at the Oval.
Winning the toss and bowling first, the visitors were off to a horrendous start, with the English openers going berserk in the first eight overs. They rampaged to 41/0 when the Australian skipper brought himself and induced a false stroke from Ben Duckett.
However, David Warner was slow to react at first slip, shelling a straightforward catch off a loose drive from Duckett to a full outside off-stump delivery.
Here is a video of the dropped catch by David Warner:
David Warner drops a sitter 😂😂
#ENGvAUS #Ashes pic.twitter.com/6vhBP5RSa5
Warner has had a mediocre series despite a series of starts right through the Ashes. The dashing opener has scored 201 runs in eight innings at an average of 25.12, including a lone half-century.
There have been rumblings around the future of Warner in Test cricket throughout the four Tests, with many speculating that the Oval Test could see him hang up his boots in the red-ball format.
However, the southpaw rubbished those claims and stated his wish to continue playing Tests for Australia further to the Ashes series.
David Warner has averaged just over 20 in nine Tests in 2023, following an equally disappointing 2022, where he averaged 30 in 11 matches.
Australia finally managed to win their first toss of the English Summer
Australian skipper Pat Cummins finally won his first toss in six attempts during the English summer and had no hesitation in bowling first on an overcast morning at the Oval.
However, the decision to bowl first hasn't always paid dividends at the venue, with India suffering a thrashing at the hands of Australia after electing to bowl first in the WTC final last month. The Aussies did the same during the previous Ashes series ( 2019) and suffered a 135-run defeat.
Historically, 88 times the team winning the toss has elected to field first in 106 matches at the Oval, but the overhead conditions have recently swayed captains to do otherwise.
Despite the David Warner drop and the rollicking start from the England openers, Australia fought back with three quick wickets to put themselves in the ascendency. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett put on 62 off just 12 overs for the opening wicket before the duo fell within five balls to Mitchell Marsh and Pat Cummins.
Josh Hazelwood then joined the party and picked up the massive wicket of Joe Root in his second spell to reduce the hosts to 73/3. In a bid to become the first Australian side to win a Test series in England since 2001, the visitors have got off to the perfect start bowling first.
As things stand, England are 109/3 in 22 overs, with Moeen Ali and Harry Brook unbeaten at the crease.