hero-image

Australia vs Pakistan 2016: 3rd Test, Day 1 - 5 talking points

David Warner put Australia in the driver’s seat with his blitzkrieg of a century

Australia raced away to 365/3 at stumps courtesy centuries from their opening batsmen on the opening day of their third Test courtesy of David Warner and Matt Renshaw, who put in their first-century stand together. Warner started the fireworks by cracking a 78 ball ton as Pakistan bowlers looked clueless in the midst of the storm. 

Renshaw proved to be the exact opposite of Warner, settling into a defensive mindset early on. He pushed in after his half-century and picked up the pace to complete his first hundred. He ensured it was a big one by going past 150 as well and remaining not out at the end of the day on 167, well set for a double hundred tomorrow.

Handscomb aided Renshaw in an unbeaten stand of 121 as Australia once again made light work of Pakistan's bowling. Wahab Riaz was Pakistan's best bowler on display, capturing the wickets of Warner and Khawaja.

Here are the talking points from the day's play at Sydney.

#5 David Warner blazes away

Warner once again showed his aggressive side with a sensational hundred in the first session of the 3rd Test at his home ground in Sydney. He became only the fifth batsman in history to complete a hundred in the first session of a Test.

Warner started off with a thick edge of Amir that raced through gully but proceeded to punish some lacklustre bowling from the Pakistanis. Imran Khan, in particular, was short and wide and Warner took full toll of his wayward bowling as he raced to his hundred in just 78 balls.

His partner, Renshaw, provided a calming influence at the other end as Australia claimed a huge advantage on Day 1. His Test record was good in 2016 but far poorer than his blazing run in ODIs. 2017, however, seems to have begun on a much more promising note.

You may also like