Sydney, Jan 3: Australia batsman David Warner on Tuesday (Jan 3) stormed his way into record books after slamming a whirlwind Test century before lunch on the opening day of third Test against Pakistan here.
Match Scorecard
The aggressive left-handed batsman smashed his 18th Test hundred and third at the Sydney Cricket Ground in just 78 balls to reach the triple-figure-mark.
The southpaw took just 117 minutes to slam the second Test century in the series which included 17 fours.
Warner became the first Australian after Sir Don Bradman to have slammed a century in the opening session on the first day of a Test match. Warner thus equalled Bradman's 87-year-old record.
The 30-year-old also became the only player to achieve the feat during a Test match in Australia.
David Warner 5th batsman, 4th Aussie to make a 100 before lunch on opening day of a Test match
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 3, 2017
Trumper
Macartney
Bradman
Majid Khan#AusvPak
Bradman scored 105 in the opening session at Leeds in 1930 on his way to 334. Before Bradman, fellow Australians Victor Trumper hit 103 at Manchester in 1902 and Charlie Macartney scored 112 at Leeds in 1926.
Pakistan's Majid Khan (108) is the only other player to hit a century before lunch, which he did against New Zealand in Karachi in 1976.
"That's obviously an honour and privilege to be amongst the greats of the game," Warner was quoted by reports as saying.
"It's great to be out there with those guys. Hopefully I can continue with that great start and positive approach," he added further.
Warner was finally out 20 minutes after lunch, caught behind by Sarfraz Ahmed off Wahab Riaz for 113 off 95 balls with 17 fours.
This is also his second consecutive Test century. He slammed 144 against Pakistan in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Warner's knock eclipsed his previous fastest century at the SCG -- off 82 balls in last year's Test against the West Indies. Vice-captain Warner has now scored 5,206 runs in 60 Tests at an average of 49.11.
In contrast to Warner's dazzling century, 20-year-old Renshaw provided the steady foil, painstakingly taking almost five hours to bring up his maiden Test century.
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