‘Exactly what we want’: Coach sees right signs from Warner

Andrew McDonald is confident David Warner has shown the right signs ahead of the Ashes, as the opener prepares for the biggest test of his career.

Warner's last Ashes series in England attracted headlines for all the wrong reasons, dismissed by Stuart Broad seven times and left to average 9.5.

Any repeat of that would likely scupper Warner's plans for a Sydney retirement next January, and leave him in serious danger of not surviving the England series.

Warner has been adamant 2019 is now largely irrelevant, given he will adopt a different approach to his batting after being too defensive four years ago.

The left-hander made a hard-fought 43 in the first innings of the World Test Championship final win over India, before being caught behind for one in his next innings.

It came as Australia's issues at the top of the order in England continued, with Usman Khawaja scoring 0 and 13.

But McDonald is confident the pair got enough out of the match ahead of Friday's first Test against England at Edgbaston.

"I thought Davey moved well in the first innings," Australia's coach said.

"He got strangled down the leg side. You look at that, and you say 'a little bit of luck there and potentially that's a bigger score'.

"But the way he moved, the way he played is exactly what we want.

"And Uzzie's last two years speak for themselves. There's going to be failure points for any batters and he's had one.

"But it doesn't mean he's any less prepared."

If Australia needed any reminder of how hard things would be at the top of the order in England, they got it at The Oval.

The new-ball period at the start of the day was by far the hardest to bat, particularly if there is cloud overhead helping the ball move.

Australia failed to pass 20 for the opening wicket in any of their 10 Ashes innings in 2019, with Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft also struggling beside Warner.

But McDonald said it did not mean Warner or Khawaja would go into survival mode, as was the case with the openers four years ago.

"I don't think survival comes into most batters' minds these days," McDonald said.

"It's more about how you're going to score runs and what your method is going to be.

"Last Ashes series it was on average 2-20, so they're going to be challenged again here.

"But as long as they are clear in the method, that's the way to get success over five Test matches."

2023 Qantas Ashes Tour of the UK

First Test: Friday June 16-Tuesday June 20, Edgbaston

Second Test: Wednesday June 28-Sunday July 2, Lord’s

Third Test: Thursday July 6-Monday July 10, Headingley

Fourth Test: Wednesday July 19-Sunday July 23, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: Thursday July 27-Monday 31, The Oval

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood