adminA poignant century from David Warner put Australia in complete control of the fourth Test against India, with the hosts 348-2 at stumps on day one.
Warner and Chris Rogers shared their most productive opening stand, hammering home the hosts’ advantage after Steve Smith won the toss at the SCG.
Warner paid tribute to Phillip Hughes upon reaching 63 not out, removing his helmet and kissing the pitch where his close friend was felled by a bouncer while on the same score.
Australia slipped from 200 for no loss to 204-2 in the space of seven minutes during the second session, Warner out for 101 and Rogers falling five runs short of his first Test ton this summer.
“I was quite emotional at the singing of the anthems,” said Warner. “The tributes put those memories back in place and seeing that little smile up on the screen before going out to bat and singing the national anthem was quite hard.
“It’s always going to be in the back of my mind and I’m always going to pay tribute to my little mate. It was in the back of mind the whole time whether I was on 63 or 100, I thought it through that I wanted to pay tribute to my mate and how to do that was I how I did that today. Every time I play here I will definitely be doing that.” — The Guardian
Online Reporter