Cummins backs Warner to explode in World Cup

Canberra, Jan 14 (IANS) Australian fast bowler Patrick Cummins has backed teammate David Warner to prove his one-day doubters wrong in the upcoming cricket World Cup, tipping the explosive opening batsman to be the man to bring Australia their fifth title.

Warner's scintillating form in the Test arena over the past 12 months hasn't transferred to the 50-over game. In the past year Warner has played 11 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), scoring 406 runs at 36.90 without scoring a century.

Compare those figures with his Test numbers during the same period - nine Tests, 1,209 runs at 67.16 with seven centuries. 

But Cummins backed his NSW Blues teammate to have a breakout tournament when asked who the most dangerous player in Australia's 15-man World Cup squad is. 

"It's obviously a big tournament for him. I think you saw the form he was in this summer," Cummins told Cricket Australia (CA) website in Canberra. 

"And he's opening the batting, so he's going to get a chance to bat big every single innings he plays. I know speaking to him he thinks he's got some things to prove in one-day cricket, so I expect some things from him." 

While Warner is a certain starter at the top of the order, Cummins' place in the team is less assured. 

Australia's 15-man squad contains four specialist fast bowlers, plus medium pace allrounders Shane Watson, Mitchell Marsh and James Faulkner. 

Watson, Faulkner and Mitchell Johnson are considered to be in Australia's best eleven, leaving the trio of Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to fight it out for the remaining two fast bowling spots. 

But Cummins says the overabundance of quicks will work to Australia's advantage in conditions that will suit express pace bowling. 

"The good thing is all the quick bowlers are very quick bowlers," said Cummins. 

"We can all run in and try and hit the deck and bowl quite quick. On Australian wickets, the WACA and a couple of other grounds that we play at are nice and fast for us and we can run in and try and bowl as fast as we can. 

"I think that's going to be our biggest strength in the bowling, having three or four quick guys in the side."