Flat track bully. Those were the words on the lips and the fingertips of everybody who has an opinion by cricket when David Warner scored 53 off 31 against Sri Lanka in August 2011.  He’d been making inroads with his hard-hitting style for a long time prior to that, but people were only now starting to take notice of the stocky 5ft7′ batsman.

Then, they the unthinkable was being whispered. Test cricket and David Warner? Please, don’t be absurd, they all said. No thank you, they continued.  And the naysayers, clapped, chuckled and rubbed their bellies as warner travelled down a distinctly average road on his Test debut.  He scored 3 and 12*. His second Test didn’t start too well either as the left-hander only managed 15 runs, but then came his unbeaten 123 against New Zealand in Hobart and the critics sunk into their chairs and hushed briefly. Surely this was simply a flash in the pan?

He continued to blow hot and cold until he blew everybody away with 180 off just 159 in Perth against India. While he could’ve stolen the singles and pushed the ball into the gap and followed every other textbook cliché to help him to get to 200 – Warner continued to play his ‘natural game.’ Confident. Aggressive. Dominant.  Unorthodox. Perfect.

While history has been kind enough to bless us with players who push the envelope and test the boundaries of traditionalism, mercenary men, legends who could bend records at will, magicians who captivate us and leave us mesmerized, Warner encompasses a new breed of player; he’s the poster boy for the new prodigal sons of cricket.

Warner, and a select few others from around around the world, are starting to form a cricketing brotherhood that could change the way the younger generation thinks about cricket.

In a society that’s increasingly becoming  a gimme, gimme generation – there’s no disguising the fact that Test cricket is becoming less of  a feature for youths.  Because Test cricket has often been so conservative, so pristine, so exclusive, so boring. The generation who believe that Test cricket is ‘boring’ could take heart from players like Warner – they can take heart from the fact that risks and recklessness can pay dividends.

Playing with reckless abandon and fighting for the Rebel Alliance is not everyone’s cup of tea, though, and it takes an immensely strong, or perhaps even foolish human to join the cause. Blowing hot and cold in a system which encourages and thrives on consistency makes the task at hand that much more difficult.  Warner will fail, sure. He’ll disappoint and he’ll get it out in the ‘Warner Way’, but he’ll do so in  a blaze of foolish glory – every single time. And when he fails, he’ll get right back up and try again.

His greatest asset is perhaps not his  talent, it’s not his exquisite timing or his ability to send the leather cracking into the stands on command, it’s not his unique ability to switch-hit fast bowlers, yes, fast bowlers, for six.  No, instead he should take heart from the fact that he – alongside his hard-hitting lieutenants from other countries – could perhaps give Test cricket that little bit of an edge it so desperately needs.

It’s up to the mentors of the Test Cricket Rebels to nudge these new breeds of players in the right direction, though. It’s vital that these Mon Mothmas are treasured and developed with care. Instead of discouraging their ways – embrace them – allow them the freedom to go with the flow and, most importantly, allow them to fail.  Because these enigmas won’t be defined or discouraged by failure. Their stubbornness will prevail and they’ll continue to excel because of their (stupid) refusal to play by the rules.  This band of rebel brothers can inspire, encourage and change the landscape because of their inherent disregard of pristine routine.

If Test cricket is indeed in need of resuscitation, what better way to ignite it than having a few rebellious villains turn traditionalism on its head. After all, you administer CPR upside down, right?

About the author:

Ant likes bad cricket romances, some say she is a masochist. A Saffa, who has a soft spot for the West Indies and also supports Arsenal. "Some" might be right.

mspr1nt has written 142 posts on Wicket Maiden. Want more? Follow mspr1nt on Twitter.