Warner favours Konstas for Thunder opening partner

David Warner is leaning towards Sam Konstas over Cameron Bancroft as his opening partner as the Test legend prepares for his first full KFC BBL season with Sydney Thunder.

Only weeks after both pushed ultimately unsuccessful cases for the Test opening vacancy, Bancroft and Konstas are set for more internal competition at the Thunder.

Nic Maddinson's finger surgery has left the pair as the two clearest options to partner new captain Warner at the top to start BBL|14, with the Thunder to open their season against Adelaide Strikers in Canberra on Tuesday night.

In the best indication yet of head coach Trevor Bayliss' thinking, Konstas opened alongside Matthew Gilkes in a practice hit-out against the Strikers on Saturday while Bancroft came in at No.3.

Warner, named captain of the Thunder for BBL|14, didn't play due to his commentary commitments on the opening day of the third Test between Australia and India.

Konstas made 29 off 24 balls with a four and a six, while Bancroft hit 32 off 25 with two fours and a six.

Ollie Davies, who will be key pillar of a strong middle-order for the Thunder this season alongside English recruit Sam Billings, top scored with 46 off 28.

Konstas is yet to make his BBL debut but memorably announced himself with twin centuries in NSW's first Sheffield Shield game of the summer before making another for the Prime Minister's XI in a 50-over match last month.

The 19-year-old was also part of Australia Under-19 World Cup 50-over triumph last summer.

Bancroft meanwhile had a tough start to the domestic season as he failed to pass 20 in 15 of 19 digs across red- and white-ball cricket, but did return to form with an unbeaten 105 in Western Australia's penultimate Sheffield Shield game before the BBL break.

"We'll see in the warm-up game. I'm probably erring between myself and probably Sammy Konstas at the top," Warner said last week.

"We know he's talented but it's about going out there in the T20 stuff and trying to work out how to play that format as well, and what he's going to bring to the table.

"I'll have a chat to him about how he wants to play and what his style of cricket is as well. 

"We'll have these conversations in the next couple of days about how we want to play and making sure that everyone's on the same page."

After being signed as a foundation player for the first BBL summer, Warner has dipped in and out of the Thunder for the past two summers around his Australian duties.

Now retired from internationals, the 38-year-old is set to play the entire tournament for the first time in a big boost for not just the Thunder but the entire competition.

The veteran opener famously arrived at the SCG for the Sydney Smash in a helicopter last season chartered from his brother's wedding.

"I'm excited," Warner said of BBL|14.

"It's another challenge for me. I'll uphold my own standards and make sure I'm contributing to the team and getting us off to a good start and leading by example of the field with the captaincy."

With West Indies globetrotter Sherfane Rutherford and rising star Davies also on the books, Warner said he held high expectations for the Thunder's batting order after a last-placed finish last summer.

"There's questions for all of us to answer the last couple of years, the way that we've played," he said. 

"We've got some craft in the middle and hopefully at the top of the order we can fire as well."

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