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Sydney - David Warner joined the illustrious company of Don Bradman
and Victor Trumper with a Test century before lunch as rookie partner Matthew
Renshaw flourished for his maiden hundred against Pakistan on Tuesday.
Warner smashed a whirlwind 18th Test hundred off 78 balls in
just 117 minutes while 20-year-old Renshaw blossomed after claiming his century
in 282 minutes in the third Test in Sydney.
At the close, after winning the toss, Australia were 365 for
three with Renshaw taking his score to 167 and fellow newcomer Peter Handscomb
on 40.
Warner became the first Australian since Bradman 87 years
ago to make a century in the opening session on the first day of a Test, and
the only batsman to achieve the feat in Australia.
Bradman made 105 in Leeds in 1930 on his way to 334, with
fellow Australians Trumper hitting 103 in Manchester in 1902 and Charlie
Macartney scoring 112 at Leeds in 1926.
Warner was finally out 20 minutes after lunch, caught behind
by Sarfraz Ahmed off Wahab Riaz for 113 off 95 balls with 17 fours.
"That's obviously an honour and privilege to be amongst
the greats of the game," Warner said.
"It's great to be out there with those guys. Hopefully
I can continue with that great start and positive approach."
The only other player to post a century before lunch on the
first day of a Test was Pakistan's Majid Khan (108) against New Zealand at
Karachi in 1976.
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.
Renshaw fought back from a head-rattling blow on the grille
of his batting helmet from speedster Mohammad Amir on 91 to go on and claim his
resilient hundred.
Renshaw also successfully overturned a leg before wicket
decision to leg spinner Yasir Shah on 137 when a review showed he had edged
onto his pad.
It was a timely innings for the Yorkshire-born youngster
ahead of next month's demanding four-Test tour of India where he faces a
challenge for his opening spot from the fit-again and vastly more experienced
Shaun Marsh.
There were precious few successes on a deflating first day
for the tourists after their shattering innings defeat in last week's second
Melbourne Test to lose the series.
Usman Khawaja was put down on three by Babar Azam in the
gully off Imran Khan before he too was caught behind off Riaz for 13.
Skipper Steve Smith, playing in his 50th Test, was caught behind cutting Shah for 24, his lowest score of a series in which he scored centuries in each of the first two matches.
