David Warner hits Australia's second highest Test score against Pakistan at Adelaide
Sunday 1 December 2019 03:16, UK
David Warner smashed the second-highest Test score by an Australian – but missed out on a shot at the world record against Pakistan at Adelaide.
Warner amassed 335 not out in Australia's enormous total of 589-3 declared on the second afternoon of the day-night clash - the first triple century of his Test career and second only to Matthew Hayden's 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003.
However, the 33-year-old was denied the opportunity to challenge Brian Lara's world-record 400 not out, with skipper Tim Paine opting to declare just before the dinner interval in a bid to put Pakistan's batsmen under pressure.
Warner's 418-ball innings, which included 39 fours and just a single six, took him to 10th place on the list of highest scores in Test history, just above fellow Australians Sir Don Bradman and Mark Taylor.
"If the boundaries were a little bit shorter, I might have taken them on a bit more," said Warner.
"It wasn't a thing in our mind to go out there and try and get the records, it was more about putting ourselves in a position to win the Test.
"To come back here in Australia, put some back-to-back performances on the board and start the summer well for our team, that's what I was more proud of myself for."
The left-hander registered the highest score in a day-night Test and became only the seventh Australian batsman to pass 300, surpassing his previous best of 253, made against New Zealand four years ago.
He shared a second-wicket stand of 361 with Marnus Labuschagne (162), who struck his second Test hundred - having notched his first only a week earlier, in the first Test of the series at Brisbane.
Steve Smith (36) then provided support for Warner in a partnership of 121 before Matthew Wade helped him to maintain momentum with a brisk unbeaten 38, while Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi finished with 3-88.
Australian seamer Mitchell Starc then wrecked Pakistan's top and middle order with a devastating spell of bowling as the tourists struggled to 96-6 at the close.
Starc (4-22) removed opener Imam-ul-Haq for just two before returning to claim the wickets of Asad Shafiq (9), Iftikhar Ahmed (10) and Mohammad Rizwan (0), the latter pair in the space of four deliveries.
Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins also picked up a wicket apiece, although Babar Azam remained at the crease with a defiant 43 not out for Pakistan.