In the 100th Test
David Warner joins the elite club. With a rollicking innings against South Africa at the MCG, Warner broke a nearly three-year test century drought and became the 10th player in Test history to do so.He became only the second Australian to score a century in a Test match after Ricky Ponting, who is the only player to score two hundreds in his 100th Test. With his 25th Test century, he joined a distinguished group of people who have achieved the unique milestone. After Gordon Greenidge, Warner became only the second player to score a century in both his 100th ODI and 100th Test, and he became the eighth Australian to score more than 8000 Test runs in an innings.
The left-handed batsman had promised before the game that he would get back to his old self and attack South Africa’s bowlers. He did just that, scoring his first century in a Test since January 2020 and ending a 27-inning skid without a hundred. He also scored 50 or more in 11 innings for the first time in Test cricket since his previous half-century in Lahore earlier this year. After scoring his only other century in an ODI at the MCG in November against England, it was only his second century in all formats since January 2020.
After Australia’s bowlers had decimated the opposition on day
Warner’s innings was comparable to his best in Test cricket, taking the game away from them. He didn’t quite score the domineering century he did in the final session at Perth on day one in 2012 against India, but he was 32 not out at stumps in less than an hour of batting on Monday.He took on the short ball that had excused him in the principal Test in Brisbane with bravery, pulling and cutting voluntarily. With two outside edges and one inside edge finding the rope, he was able to enjoy some luck that he had been lamenting all summer. On the second morning, while attempting to pull Anrich Nortje, a glancing blow also hit him in the helmet. However, as he drove relentlessly and with control from the get-go, he was busy and proactive.
With his fervent running between the wickets, he did lose Marnus Labuschagne to an unnecessary run out in a last-ditch effort to exert pressure on South Africa. But on a brutally hot day in Melbourne, he also made money with three all-run fours as his incredible fitness came through.After lunch, Warner battled through a nervous period and survived an extraordinary spell of thunderbolts from Nortje that exceeded 150 kph. One of the blasts hit Warner flush on the left index finger, requiring treatment from the Australia team physio.
With a masterful Kagiso Rabada catch, he scored his century, igniting a trademark extended, empathetic celebration.