'The zing bail lit up': David Warner survives freak dismissal
David Warner has survived a scare in the third T20 match against Sri Lanka when the ball ricocheted off his body and into the stumps without removing the bails.
Warner has set himself up for a big summer of cricket, the opener's welcome return to form earning him player-of-the-series honours in Australia's crushing 3-0 Twenty20 clean sweep against Sri Lanka.
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Warner made another half-century as Australia completed the series whitewash with a comfortable seven-wicket win in game three at the MCG on Friday night.
Australia made 3-145 after sending the visitors in and restricting them to 6-142 from their 20 overs, sealing the win with 14 balls to spare in front of 28,568 fans.
But it was when Warner was on 42 when he was struck in the mid-section.
The ball cannoned off his body and into the stumps, but incredible the bails did not budge.
“The zing bail lit up, but didn’t fall off,” Mark Waugh said in commentary.
“How has that not knocked the bail off? Bit of chewing gum on the bails. That should definitely have come off that bail.”
Warner, who was not dismissed in three innings this series, was unbeaten on 57 off 50 balls, with four fours and a six.
On the back of his 100 in Adelaide and a 60 in Brisbane, Warner was the highest run-scorer in the series with 217.
With a packed schedule featuring Pakistan and New Zealand at home and tours to India and South Africa, Warner is right back amongst the runs after his miserable Ashes series.
"You always like to start the summer well," Warner said.
"For me it's about keeping it simple and making sure I'm staying mentally fresh ... that's the most important thing.
"I've just maintained the rage, I just go out there and back myself and play to the best of my ability.
"I'm a confident person, I don't go out there thinking I'm going to get out ... I just play the same way.
"It helps when you've got momentum and it helps when you've got guys at the other end batting the same way and you can get pressure taken off you."
The Aussies will navigate their busy schedule with one eye on next year's home T20 World Cup.
"The team is going very well ... we've gelled well for a long time," Warner said.
"It's the same group of men who have been around for probably three years.
"It's great to see selectors having that confidence to keep picking the same people."
Australia kick off a three-game T20I series against Pakistan at the SCG on Sunday.
