An irrepressible David Warner cruised to a triple century on Saturday while Steve Smith became the fastest man to 7,000 Test runs as Australia put Pakistan to the sword on day two of the second Test in Adelaide. He finished unbeaten on 335 as Australia declared on 589/3.
Warner cruised to his historic triple ton century off just 389 balls, the first triple century in Test cricket history at Adelaide Oval. In the process, he went past Don Bradman’s 299 not out (versus South Africa in 1932), which was the highest Test score at the venue.
The 33-year-old brought up the mark with a boundary off Mohammad Abbas, smashing 37 fours in the near-faultless innings.
He has been at the crease for nearly nine hours with his only stroke of luck came on 226 when he was caught in the gully, only for the umpire to call Muhammad Musa’s delivery a no-ball.
This is the 31st triple hundred ever in Test history. The last one was Karun Nair’s 303* against England in Dec 2016. The last by an Australian was Michael Clarke’s 329* against India in Jan 2012.
Earlier, at the end of the day’s opening session, they were 475 for two with Warner unbeaten on 261 – his highest ever Test score – and Smith on 34.
In making his runs, Smith – who had a rare failure in the first of the two-Test series at Brisbane – shattered a record that had stood since 1946.
He took a single off Muhammad Musa to reach 7,000 runs in his 126th innings, taking possession of a mark held for 73 years by English great Wally Hammond who reached the milestone in his 131st innings.
Smith also moved past legendary countryman Donald Bradman’s 6,996 Test runs to become Australia’s 11th highest scorer.
The home team resumed the day-night second Test at 302 for one with Warner on 166 and Marnus Labuschagne 126, with the pair putting on another 67 runs before Pakistan finally got a breakthrough.
Skipper Azhar Ali took the new ball and Shaheen Afridi clean-bowled Labuschagne as he attempted a drive, just as he and Warner appeared set for another long day at the crease.
The 25-year-old, who has come of age during the series, trudged back to the pavilion to a standing ovation after a classy 162, his second century in a row.
Their marathon 361-run partnership was a record second-wicket stand for Australia against Pakistan and the highest ever in a pink-ball Test.
Just minutes later, the explosive Warner completed only the second Test double century of his career.
Playing in his 81st Test, he reached 200 off 260 balls with a single from Afridi, having clattered 23 fours along the way.
Pakistan thought they finally had Warner out on 226 when he was caught in the gully off debutant Musa, only for their heads to drop when it was called a no-ball.
Warner made them pay, passing his previous highest Test score of 253, set in Perth in 2015, with his eyes firmly set on a maiden triple century.
Pakistan have lost 13 consecutive Tests in Australia.
With inputs from AFP
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