OK, I have to admit, that heading was a bit of a lie, because here we are on the eve of the second Test, at Lord's, a venue bathed in tradition and history, with Australia 1-0 up in the series, yet this Aussie really could not care less.
Ordinarily, I would have been champing at the bit waiting on every ball of an Ashes series, but this year, I can't help feeling let down by Cricket Australia, to the point that I just don't care.
Why? David Warner. Now before you jump up and down screaming that he's done his time, hear me out. Yes, Warner can be a matchwinner and yes, he has served his prescribed punishment, so why do I have a problem?
My problem with his inclusion, is not the inclusion itself, but what it represents. What it represents is pure, unadulterated hypocrisy at the highest level.
After the sandpaper scandal, Cricket Australia vowed to undertake a thorough and decisive review of the culture in Australian Cricket, from an adminstative level down to a player level. In addition to the suspensions of Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, National Coach Darren Lehmann fell on his sword and resigned as well.
Great, we thought, the "boys club" culture that is often criticised by some former players, particularly Brett Geeves (he shares some pretty insightful stuff around his time in Australian colours) will break down, and reported toxic personalities would be removed from the equation.
Just prior to the World Cup, however, the Cricket Australia central contract lists were announced, complete with Smith and Warner included. Now don't get me wrong, I agree that the players have served their bans, and deserve the chance to earn their place in the side again, but to immediately reward these guys with a lucrative contract, tells me that Cricket Australia was doing no more than pay lip service to their cultural review.
So what should have happened? Smith, Warner and Bancroft should have has to let their results do their talking for them. Let them play in the Sheffield Shield for a season, and mount their case for a recall over a metric crap-ton of runs. In essence, make them again earn the respect of their national teammates, and Australian cricket fans.
Warner, for me, is a particularly hard one to stomach being back in the side, as I firmly believe that himself and Lehmann were the ringleaders in the sandpaper saga. Bancroft, was the stool pidgeon, the rookie who didn't want to say no to his more senior teammate, and Smith as captain, is a classy batsman, but perhaps not a strong enough leader to manage a personality as big as Warner. Long have the rumours swirled around that Warner was a disruptive presence to team harmony, rumours that hark back to Michael Clarke's leadership days. Smith and Bancroft, I could forgive eventually, and I'll admit, Smith's twin centuries at Edgebaston to set up victory for Australia, would have normally evoked much joy (and quite a lot of ribbing of my English mates as well). But Warner, as long as he's in the Australian team, then I'm barracking for the opposition.
