Aus vs Pak: Warner in Bradman class, Renshaw scores maiden century

David Warner joined the illustrious company of Don Bradman and Victor Trumper with a Test century before lunch as rookie partner Matthew Renshaw hit his maiden hundred against Pakistan on Tuesday.

Warner smashed a whirlwind 18th Test hundred off 78 balls in just 117 minutes, while 20-year-old Renshaw blossomed after claiming his century in 282 minutes in the third Test in Sydney.

At the close, after winning the toss, Australia were 365 for three with Renshaw taking his score to 167 and fellow newcomer Peter Handscomb on 40 in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 121.

Warner became the first Australian since Bradman 87 years ago to make a century in the opening session of a Test, and the only batsman to achieve the feat in Australia.

Bradman made 105 in Leeds in 1930 on his way to 334, with fellow Australians Trumper hitting 103 in Manchester in 1902 and Charlie Macartney scoring 112 at Leeds in 1926. Warner was finally out 20 minutes after lunch, caught behind by Sarfraz Ahmed off Wahab Riaz for 113 off 95 balls with 17 fours.

“That’s obviously an honour and privilege to be amongst the greats of the game,” Warner said.

“It’s great to be out there with those guys. Hopefully I can continue with that great start and positive approach.

“I started last year with a hundred here (against the West Indies) and I started here with another hundred here and I’ve got to capitalise on that.”

The only other player to post a century before lunch on the first day of a Test was Pakistan’s Majid Khan (108) against New Zealand at Karachi in 1976.

There were precious few successes on a deflating first day for the tourists after their shattering innings defeat in last week’s second Melbourne Test to lose the series.

“Our execution was not up to the mark and at the end of the day it’s a bowling unit that’s not doing really good,” paceman Wahab Riaz said.

“As a bowling unit we have let our team down.”