Warner surpasses Ponting in Most Tons in a Year list for Australia

Canberra, Dec 6 (IANS) Explosive batsman David Warner set a new Australian record for the most One-Day International centuries in a calendar year, surpassing Ricky Ponting by scoring 119 off 115 balls in the second match against New Zealand here on Tuesday.

Warner's innings was his sixth ODI ton in 2016, continuing a remarkable run of form that has been bettered by just two men, crikcet.com.au reported.

Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar hit an incredible nine ODI centuries from 34 matches in 1998, while his former team-mate Sourav Ganguly's seven centuries in 2000 came from 32 matches.

Warner, now with six, sits joint third on the all-time list, in just 22 matches this year.

Other men to post six ODI centuries in a calendar year include South Africa's Gary Kirsten and Tendulkar, both in 1996, and Rahul Dravid in 1999.

Warner's ton from 101 balls, reached with a shot to mid-off in the 32nd over, took him above Australia's all-time leading run scorer Ponting, and Matthew Hayden, who each scored five ODI hundreds in a calendar year.

Warner's expoits helped Australia reach 378/5 in the second match, after being sent in by New Zealand to bat, at the manuka Oval ground.

Australia won the first ODI in Sydney in the three-match series.

--IANS

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