Warner’s record hundred livens drawn Test
SYDNEY, Australia (CMC) — Opener David Warner stroked the fastest-ever Test hundred at the Sydney Cricket Ground as the rain-ravaged third and final Test against West Indies predictably ended in a draw here yesterday.
With the adverse weather having allowed just 68 deliveries on the second day and then forced the abandonment of the third and fourth days, the result of the game was never really in doubt, but Warner nonetheless put on a spectacle for the nearly 7,000 spectators who turned up.
The left-hander blasted his way to three figures off a mere 82 balls en route to an unbeaten 122 as Australia raced to 176 for two off just 38 overs in their first innings.
Fellow Australian Matthew Hayden previously held the record with an 84-ball hundred against Zimbabwe 13 years ago.
Warner put on a hundred for the first wicket with Joe Burns, who scored 26, and a further 54 for the second wicket with Mitchell Marsh who got 21, while left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican picked up both wickets to fall for 62 runs.
Denesh Ramdin had earlier converted his overnight 30 into 62 as West Indies, resuming on 248 for seven, were dismissed for 330.
Warrican finished on 21 not out as West Indies passed 300 for the first time in the series.
Left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe (3-63) and off-spinner Nathan Lyon (3-120) picked up three wickets apiece, while pacer James Pattinson ended with two for 76.
The Aussies had offered West Indies the chance to make a game of it. They proposed declaring their first innings without a run on the board in response to West Indies’ overnight score of 248, allowing the visitors seven overs to make 121, and then attempting to chase down 370 off 70 overs for victory.
However, Captain Jason Holder rejected the offer, allowing the game to peter out into a tame affair.
With the weather finally relenting, Ramdin grasped the opportunity to ease to his 15th Test half-century as he put on exactly 50 for the eighth wicket with Kemar Roach who made 15.
He moved into the 40s with two boundaries off Pattinson in the morning’s fourth over before bringing up his second-consecutive half-century with a single behind square off Lyon several overs later.
Ramdin eventually fell to a catch at slip by Captain Steve Smith, as he drove at O’Keefe at 296 for eight, after facing 151 balls and counting five fours.
Roach followed in the next over, caught at short-leg off Lyon with exactly 300 runs on the board, and Warrican added 30 for the last wicket with Jerome Taylor, who made 13 before picking out Lyon at point off O’Keefe.
Resuming their innings after the break, Australia were propelled by the robust Warner who smashed 11 fours and two sixes in an innings requiring 103 deliveries overall.
His first 50 came from 42 balls and arrived in an over from Warrican that leaked 16 runs, with two sixes — the first over long-on and the second over mid-wicket — and a four.
Warner lost Burns soon after to a catch at mid-on off Warrican, but Warner remained unfazed and brought up his second fifty off a mere 40 deliveries.
Rain forced an early tea break and left Warner stranded on 90, but he reached his landmark in the fourth over after the resumption when he swept Warrican fine for three runs.
He survived a chance on 106 to Holder at cover off part-time off-spinner Kraigg Brathwaite, but Mitchell Marsh was not so fortunate in the following over when he top-edged a sweep at Warrican to Jermaine Blackwood at slip.
With the game wandering deep in the final session, Smith ended the innings and both captains shook hands.
Adam Voges was adjudged Man-of-the-Series for his 375 runs in two innings without being dismissed, while Warner copped the Man-of-the-Match award for his record hundred.