David Warner said he was honored to join the likes of Donald Bradman after smashing a whirlwind century before lunch in the third Test against Pakistan yesterday.
The left-hander slammed his 18th Test century and his third at the Sydney Cricket Ground off 78 balls to reach three figures in just 117 minutes with 17 fours.
When stumps were drawn, Matt Renshaw was unbeaten on 167 with Peter Handscomb on 40 not out alongside him in a partnership of 121.
Photo: Reuters
Usman Khawaja (13), Warner and Australia skipper Steve Smith (24) all fell to catches behind the wicket, the last a spectacular take by Sarfraz Ahmed off Yasir Shah.
Otherwise, it was a day to forget for the tourists as Warner and Renshaw ran rampant on a good wicket after Australia had won the toss and chosen to bat.
Warner became the first Australia batsman since Bradman 87 years ago to make a century in the opening session on the first day and the only person to achieve the feat during a Test match in Australia.
Bradman was the last to do so with 105 in at Headingley in Leeds, England, in 1930 on his way to 334, with fellow Australians Victor Trumper hitting 103 at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, in 1902 and Charlie Macartney scoring 112 at Headingley in Leeds in 1926.
“That’s obviously an honor and privilege to be amongst the greats of the game,” Warner said. “It’s great to be out there with those guys. Hopefully, I can continue with that great start and positive approach.”
The only other player to post a century before lunch on the first day of a Test was Pakistan’s Majid Khan (108) against New Zealand in Karachi in 1976.
Warner’s knock eclipsed his previous fastest century at the Sydney Cricket Ground — off 82 balls in last year’s Test against the West Indies.
Warner said reaching three figures before the lunch break was not paramount, but that the batsman felt the adrenalin rising as the century drew closer.
“It wasn’t nerve-racking. I told the youngster [Renshaw] with a couple of minutes to go we have to knuckle down and get through to lunch, and be patient,” Warner said. “Obviously, as a batsman when the adrenalin is pumping and you know it’s around the corner you are probably always going to have a dig.”
Warner was finally out 20 minutes after lunch, caught behind by Sarfraz Ahmed off Wahab Riaz for 113 off 95 balls.
Usman Khawaja was put down on 3 by Babar Azam in the gully off Imran Khan before he too was caught behind off Riaz for 13.
Skipper Steve Smith, playing in his 50th Test, was caught behind cutting Shah for 24, his lowest score of a series in which he scored centuries in each of the first two matches.
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