Warner become first player to breach 500 runs in CWC 2019, Finch misses out by three runs
From a 12-month ban to silencing his critics with every passing match, David Warner has shown up at the 2019 World Cup with a mission in mind as the explosive Australia batsman has become the first player to breach 500 runs this tournament.
Warner reached the mark during Australia's clash against rivals England at Lord's, London. He scored a gritty 53, which exactly took him to 500 runs. Australia captain Aaron Finch could have also reached the 500-run mark but fell just four runs short despite scoring a century, his second of the tournament.
Warner at the moment is the leading run scorer of the tournament, overtaking Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan who is on 476 runs in 6 matches played. Finch at the moment is on 496. Behind Shakib in the 400-run zone is England's Joe Root, who is on 432. There are only four players who have crossed the 400-run mark, with Warner now reaching 500.
Earlier, Finch rose to the occasion with his second century of the tournament before England rallied to stop arch-rivals Australia at 285 for seven in their blockbuster World Cup showdown on Tuesday.
Comfortably placed at 185 for three in the 36th over, Australia were headed for a 300-plus total, but lost the plot due to England's fine comeback and lack of discretion on part of most of the batsmen that followed Finch and David Warner.
Sent into bat after Eoin Morgan called it right at the toss, Australia were given another fine start by their in-from openers, who took them to 123 in the 23rd over, when the tournament leading scorer David Warner fell for a well-made 53 off 62 balls.
Dropped on 15, Finch (100) went on to make his 15th ODI century, off 115 balls, but got out in the very next ball to leave the responsibility of finishing the innings in style on Steve Smith's shoulders.
Smith (38) batted positively until he was sent back by Chris Woakes, while Alex Carey smashed 38 off 27 balls, but the defending champions seemed to have lost the plot with the wickets of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.
