Warner Smacks Historically Quick Hundy; Overshadows Birth of New Aussie Opener

Cricket fans are used to fireworks from 'Big Davey' Warner, but the show the Aussie opener put on at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday was some true next level stuff.

Warner smashed a century before lunch on the first day of the third test against Pakistan, becoming just the fifth player in test history to achieve that feat on the opening session of a match.

Before him was cricketing royalty: Aussies' Victor Trumper (Manchester in 1902), Charlie Macartney (Leeds in 1926) and Sir Donald Bradman (Leeds in 1930) - and Pakistani Majid Khan (Karachi in 1976).

Aussie David Warner smashed just the fifth century in the first session of a test at the SCG yesterday. Source: Youtube.

With the rise of one-day and Twenty20 cricket since Khan's knock in 1976, it seems incredible that no batsman has achieved a first session ton in the last forty years. Especially when you consider the likes of Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle, Brian Lara and Brendon McCullum have strode to the crease in recent years.

Yet this was something special from Warner. His century came off 78 balls, featuring 17 boundaries and an opportunist sense for twos and threes that cricket has come to expect from the New South Welshman.

"It feels amazing," Warner said, following his innings.

"I only began to think about it [the hundred] when I was on about 80 and there were 25 minutes to go before lunch. Basically, I thought I'd just keep working hard to get us into a great position."

HISTORY! David Warner just became the first batsman to score a century on Aussie soil before lunch — Sydney Cricket Grnd (@scg)January 3, 2017

"Pull shots and punches through the covers were most prevalent, all played with a level of hustling intent that suggested Warner always knew the hundred before lunch was on."

Cricket writers swooned, too. "There were runs either side of the pitch for Warner; a lack of straight-driven boundaries reflecting both the pugilism of his method and also the shortish lengths favoured by Pakistan's bowlers" Daniel Brettig, of Cricinfo, wrote.

Warner was eventually dismissed in the half-hour after lunch, caught behind for 113. It was the 30-year-old's 18th test ton, placing him above Adam Gilchrist and Steven Smith on the all-time Aussie century-making list.

Yet while Warner was flashing the willow, his opening partner Matt Renshaw - playing just his fourth test for Australia - was starting out on what may one day be remembered as the first big knock in a long career at the top of the Aussie order.

Matt Renshaw scored his first test ton at the SCG yesterday. Source: Youtube.

Renshaw would end up 167 not out at stumps, in a patient, gutsy knock that has set him up for an extended spell at the top of the order in the Baggy Greens.

Comparing Renshaw to English opener Alistair Cook, Brettig wrote: "there is plenty of power in his tall frame, but the aversion he shows in the formative stages of his innings will serve him well in what now seem likely to be many years of Test batting to come."

Renshaw has an interesting back story. Born in Yorkshire, the 20-year-old spent five years living in New Zealand before moving to Queensland aged 12. Despite his international roots, his father Ian told the Courier-Mail last November his fair dinkum Aussie.

"Matt is a bit like Andrew Symonds, you couldn't get more Aussie or more Ocker than him," he said.

Australia will resume at 10.30am AEST at 365 for 3, with Renshaw and Peter Hanscomb (40 not out) at the wicket.