Sydney Test: Interesting stats from play on Day 1

Tags: Pakistan tour of Australia,2016 - 17, Australia Vs Pakistan 3rd Test at Sydney, Jan 03-07, 2017, Australia, Pakistan, David Andrew Warner, Matthew Thomas Renshaw

Published on: Jan 03, 2017

Scorecard | Commentary | Graphs

Australia continued their domination over Pakistan on the first day at Sydney as their batsmen punished the hapless bowling attack of the opposition to finish the day on an already imposing 365 for 3

Australia continued their domination over Pakistan on the first day at Sydney as their batsmen punished the hapless bowling attack of the opposition to finish the day on an already imposing 365 for 3. Aussie openers David Warner and Matt Renshaw dominated the day with contrasting hundreds. A look at important numbers from the day’s play.

When David Warner crossed the hundred mark before lunch, he became only the fifth player in the history of Test cricket to smash a ton before the end of first session on the opening day of a Test. The others to do so are Victor Trumper, Charles Macartney, Don Bradman and Majid Khan. The latter was the most recent one to achieve the feat. He did so against New Zealand in Karachi in October 1976. Incidentally, Virender Sehwag was unbeaten on 99 on lunch on the opening day of the St Lucia Test against West Indies in 2006.

David Warner

Warner’s hundred though is the first instance of a batsman bludgeoning a hundred in the first session of a day’s play in Tests. The previous highest was 98 by Clive Lloyd. He made the score at WACA, Perth during the first session of the third day’s play in 1975-76.

Warner now has scored three consecutive hundreds at the SGC. He made 101 against India in 2015 and 122 not out against West Indies in 2016, both in the New Year Tests. Only three others have three or more consecutive hundreds at the SCG. Wally Hammond (four), David Boon and VVS Laxman (three each). Interestingly, Warner has also registered three tons at Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.

Warner’s effort on Tuesday was his 18 century in Tests. No other player has as many tons to his name since his debut in December 2011.

The 78-ball ton by Warner is now the fastest at the SCG. The Aussie opener broke his own record. He made a ton off 82 balls last year against West Indies. Also, this is Warner's second-fastest ton after his 69-ball century against India at Perth 2011-12. Even among all Australians, this is the fourth-fastest Test hundred.

Warner’s 78-ball hundred is the second fastest ever against Pakistan. Brian Lara got one in 77 balls in Multan in 2006-07 while Brendon McCullum also scored a hundred in 78 balls in Sharjah in 2014-15.

Moving on to Matt Renshaw, he is the third youngest Aussie opener to register a Test ton, after Archie Jackson at 19 years, 149 days and Phillip Hughes at 20 years, 96 days. Renshaw is the seventh-youngest centurion for Australia, overall.

Renshaw’s 167 not out is already the fourth highest score by an Australian opener at the SCG. The highest is Sid Barnes' 234 during the Ashes in 1946-47.

This is the third time both Aussie openers have scored tons in the same innings at the SCG. The last such instance was when Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden smashed hundreds against South Africa in 2002.

--By A Cricket Statsman

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