Darren Berry believes Australian Test opening batsman David Warner can already be considered an all-time great of the national side alongside former captains Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh, Allan Border, Ian Chappell and Greg Chappell.
Warner’s remarkable batting career hit yet another high on Tuesday after he became the first player to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test on Australian soil, and only the fifth ever player to ever achieve the feat.
Berry was full of praise for Warner’s 17th Test ton, and says that there is no way the 30-year-old can’t be considered one of Australia’s greatest ever cricketers.
“It was an unbelievable innings. Young Renshaw stood at the other end and just watched the Warner show,” he said on SEN Breakfast.
“Warner was sensational. From ball one he smacked them to all parts of the ground…I think Dave Warner thought he was playing in the Big Bash yesterday.
“He is a freak and make no mistake, he is going to go down, when his time comes, as one of the greatest ever to play for this country. He is probably already up there to be honest.
“You talk of the great names – and Bradman sits way above anyone else – but Ponting, Waugh, Border, Chappell, these names. Warner’s name sits right alongside them right now in my opinion and he’s still got years ahead of him.
“Warner started out as a Twenty20 basher and he’s converted himself into a wonderful Test batsman. He’s a match-winner, he’s a game-changer and he’s outstanding.”
Fox Sports cricket reporter Tom Morris agreed with Berry, and believes that he will go down as one of the greatest opening batsmen the game has ever seen.
“I think he is the most damaging opening batsman in the world, I think that is quite clear,” he said.
“By the end of his career he will go down as one of the greatest opening batsmen of all time.
“It’s simply the way he takes the game away from the opposition… His innings yesterday was unbelievable and the fact that he was the first batsman ever to make a century before lunch on day one in Australia says something as well.”