6 Mar 2014

David Warner credits mental space for man of the match performance

8:25 am on 6 March 2014

The Australian batsman David Warner says growing up and knuckling down are the reasons behind his scintillating form this summer.

The 27-year-old was named man of the match and man of the series following Australia's 245 run win in the third and deciding test in Cape Town, though the Proteas put up a hell of a fight as the tourists blew down the South African stonewall with just 27 balls remaining to claim a dramatic 2-1 series win.

Warner, who scored three centuries in the series notching hundreds in both innings of the final match to take his tally to 1000 runs in his last 8 tests, says his secret to success is simple, claiming he finally has his 'head screwed on for once' and has been training harder than ever.

Warner has been labelled a 'bad boy' of cricket following several public spats with journalists and other off-field incidents including punching England player Joe Root in a bar during Australia's unsuccessful Ashes campaign in the UK.