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GIVEN the soap opera that has been David Warner's life in recent months, Australian cricket fans could have justifiably hoped the colourful opener would never be seen in the baggy-green again.
But thank goodness for Warner's presence at the Gabba yesterday. Without cricket's human headline, Australia's opening innings of the summer would have resembled an episode of the Benny Hill Show.
Granted, there were still too many moments of local batting vaudeville. But on a day where England followed their script to the letter, Warner provided moments of resistance that suggest he can be the streetfighting nuisance that keeps the old enemy honest this summer.
Entering this first Test, Warner spoke of his aim to win back respect following his bar-room bust-up with Joe Root during his horror tour of England.
Day one at the Gabba represented the first step. His 49 was not the mammoth innings that provides the bedrock for Test triumphs but it was an enterprising, impressive knock and an exhibition of Warner's ability when he is single-minded about cricket.
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To some degree, amid his search for redemption, he would have gleaned the respect of the English attack he briefly dominated yesterday.
While his top-order cohorts wilted in the English furnace, Warner fought fire with fire. His statement was instant, crunching Stuart Broad's first ball of the morning to the boundary with a pull shot over backward square leg.
The following over, Warner went after James Anderson, driving confidently to a ball that was deliciously full and wide.
Nine balls later, he brutally cover drove a Broad half-volley to the fence. And then he produced the most audacious shot of the day, leaping off the ground to cheekily upper-cut a Broad bouncer over the slips cordon. Four boundaries in six overs. Warner was away. Somebody stop him.
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Perhaps the most compelling observation was Warner's control. His knock was a fusion of power and patience. In between the displays of brutality, Warner adopted a sensible mentality, respecting the good balls and keeping his ego in the back pocket.
The bad balls were duly punished. Just ask spinner Graeme Swann, who watched helplessly as Warner thumped his second delivery of the innings to the long-off boundary.
The aggressive left-hander went to lunch unbeaten on 42 with the hosts steady at 2-71. A century beckoned in the second session, but Broad exacted revenge, removing Warner after he slapped an innocuous short ball to Kevin Pietersen at cover.
The Matraville Mauler deserved at least a half-century, but he walked off with perhaps a more precious currency.
Something called respect.
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