David Warner would love to take the WACA with him

After South Africa was dismissed for 242 on the opening day of the first Test at the WACA, David Warner strode to the centre with a career average of a tick under 96 at the ground.

Today, Warne will resume unbeaten on 73 averaging 106.29, and climbing.

He’s cracked 180 against India, 13 and 29 against South Africa, 60 and 112 against England, with 253 and 24 against the Kiwis,

If only he could bottle the WACA wicket, and take it with him. As I wrote about earlier in the week, this is to be the last Test at the ground.

In fact, the Australian batting order at the start of day two down to six is averaging a collective and impressive 77.05.

The breakdown:

Warner – nine completed digs for 744 – average 106.29
Shaun Marsh – 1 – 40 – 40.00
Usman Khawaja – 1 – 121 – 121.00
Steve Smith – 6 – 344 – 57.33
Adam Voges – 2 – 160 – 80.00
Mitchell Marsh – 2 – 35 – 17.50

Collectively it’s 19 completed digs for 1464 runs – average 77.05 – with only Mitchell Marsh dragging the chain on his home track.

If the Australians bat to their career averages at the WACA, the baggy greens should go close to 500 to shut the door on the visitors, who can thank Quinton de Kock for giving them even a rough chance of saving face.

de Kock, a dashing ODI opening batsman, batted at seven yesterday, with his 84 the pivot for three partnerships that turned a wobbly 4-32 into a reasonably respectable 242.

de Kock dominated a 51-run stand with his skipper Faf du Plessis for the fifth wicket, 71 with Temba Bavuma for the sixth wicket, and 48 with Keshav Maharaj for the eighth.

So don’t expect de Kock to bat so low for the rest of the three-Test series.

Yesterday he feared no-one, cracking 11 fours and a maximum off 101 deliveries.

But the pocket-rocket Bavuma was the next most impressive, and the first time I’ve seen him bat.

Standing a mere 167 centimetres, he has all the shots with excellent footwork, and a solid temperament in his 51 off 86 at a bad time, with seven well-struck boundaries.

We’ll see a lot more of him in this series.

But the bowling honours of the day went to Australian paceman Mitchell Starc. How he’s only rated the eighth best in the world makes a mockery of the ICC rankings.

Starc is the best in the world right now, no argument.

Despite being short of a gallop after severely tearing his left leg in a training accident six weeks ago, Starc struck in the first over, and bowled with accuracy and venom in his 18.4 overs to capture 4-71.

His new ball partner Josh Hazlewood was also on the money with 3-70 off 17, while offie Nathan Lyon was sparingly used for his 2-23 off 10.

Yesterday was more like the real Australian side, their body language was high by looking sharp in the field, taking some cracking catches, and finishing the day with an unbroken 105 opening stand.

Now it’s up to the baggy greens to slam the door shut on South Africa.