Warner smashes ton before lunch in Aussie run spree
Australia were 126/0 at lunch on the opening day of third Test against Pakistan.
SYDNEY (AFP) - David Warner became the first Australian since Donald Bradman to smash a century before lunch on the first day in a flying start to the third Test against Pakistan on Tuesday.
It was also the first time a batsman has scored 100 in the first session of a Test match in Australia, with Warner only the fourth Australian batsman to achieve the rare feat.
Don Bradman was the last to do so with 105 in Leeds in 1930 on his way to 334, with Victor Trumper hitting 103 in Manchester in 1902 and Charlie Macartney scoring 112 at Leeds in 1926.
The only other player to post a Test century before lunch on the first day of a Test was Pakistan s Majid Khan (108) against New Zealand in Karachi in 1976.
At lunch in Sydney after winning the toss, Australia were 126 without loss with Warner hurtling along on 100 off 78 balls with the more sedate Matthew Renshaw on 25 off 84 balls.
Warner raced out of the blocks with five boundaries in the first three overs and brought up the 50-run opening partnership off 49 balls.
His half-century came off 42 balls with 10 fours inside the opening hour and the century stand came off 126 balls in 93 minutes with Warner contributing 80.
Warner raised 18th Test century and third against Pakistan in 117 minutes and had hit 17 boundaries by lunch.
It eclipsed his previous fastest century at the Sydney Cricket Ground -- off 82 balls in last year s Test against the West Indies.
The dashing left-hander raised his 18th Test hundred and third at the Sydney Cricket Ground off 78 balls and reached three figures in just 117 minutes with 17 fours.
He was 100 not out with Matthew Renshaw on 25 at lunch in Australia s 126 without loss.
Earlier, Australia won the toss and chose to bat in the third Test against Pakistan in Sydney on Tuesday.
Pakistan made two changes with opener Sharjeel Khan making his Test debut in place of Sami Aslam and Imran Khan replacing fellow paceman Sohail Khan.
Australia also made two changes with all-rounder Hilton Cartwright making his Test debut at No.6 for Nic Maddinson and Steve O Keefe added as an extra spinner at the expense of Jackson Bird.
Australia have already wrapped up the series after wins in Brisbane and Melbourne and are bidding for a 3-0 series clean sweep.
"There s a bit of grass on the pitch and I m hoping it will break up during the Test so our spinners can have an impact," Australia skipper Steve Smith said.
Counterpart Misbah-ul-Haq said the first session would be important for his Pakistan bowlers.
"We re hoping to get something from the pitch for our new ball bowlers," Misbah said.
Teams
Australia: David Warner, Matthew Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (capt), Peter Handscomb, Hilton Cartwright, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Steve O Keefe, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.
Pakistan: Azhar Ali, Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Amir, Imran Khan.
Umpires: Sundaram Ravi (IND) and Richard Illingworth (ENG).
Third umpire: Ian Gould (ENG).
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI).
