Australian opening batsmen David Warner and Matt Renshaw made a dead Test come alive at the SCG against Pakistan yesterday.
Warner became the first person in Australia, and only the fifth in history, to crack a Test ton before lunch on day one.
His neat 100 was posted with three deliveries remaining before lunch to join a trio of Australians: Victor Trumper’s 103* against England at Old Trafford in 1902, Charlie McCartney’s 112* against England at Headingley in 1926, and the inevitable Don Bradman, also against England at Headingley in 1930.
He also sits alongside Pakistani legend Majid Khan, who scored one against the Kiwis at Karachi in 1976.
Warner was majestic from the outset, treating the Pakistan attack with disdain and immense power to all parts of the ground.
To underline his absolute dominance, Renshaw was just 25 when Warner posted his century to a standing ovation from the reported 30,000 crowd who were treated to a Warner masterpiece – a jewel in the crown among his 18 Test tons.
Not to be overawed, nor over-run, the 20-year-old Renshaw in only his fourth Test went on to his maiden Test century.
He batted all day to finish with 167*, and will resume this morning chasing a record of his own to break Sid Barnes’ 234, the highest score by an Australian opening batsman at the SCG.
That innings in 1946 against England was made famous by Barnes deliberately getting out on Don Bradman’s 234, so he wouldn’t score more runs than his skipper.
Renshaw is also chasing David Boon’s 184* against England in 1988, and Bill Ponsford’s 183 against the West Indies in 1931, so Renshaw is already among the giants.
Don’t be surprised if his 25-year-old partner Peter Handscomb becomes the third centurion today.
Also in his fourth Test, Handscomb already has Bradman-like stats with scores of 54, 1*, 105, 35*, 54, and 40* for 289 runs at 96.33.
Yet Renshaw and Handscomb couldn’t be more different.
Renshaw is the leftie, Handscomb the right. Renshaw’s keener on the onside, while Handscomb prefers to cut and cover-drive.
The one thing they share is pure talent, and they are the future of the Australian batting order with Warner, Usman Khawja, and skipper Steve Smith.
At the fall of the next wicket, Zimbabwe-born baggy green debutant Hilton Cartwright will stride to the centre.
The 24-year-old comes with strong support from both the skipper and the selection panel who between them have been kicking goals lately with their new youth policy.
If Cartwright can hold down the number six slot, keeper Matt Wade gets among some long overdue runs, the spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe fire with pacemen Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, then the real four-Test series in India next month will look far more appealing.
There’s no argument, beating India in India is the ultimate litmus test.
bill
Roar Rookie
That's straight up and down hilarious. Poor old burnsey
Jordan c
Guest
I dead set come here in hope to read one of your, or a few select posters pearls.
Felix
Guest
At 34 he would have bitten your hand off if you offered him 20 test. At 37, I'd say don't be upset that's it's over, be happy it happened! Wait for the brains trust at channel 9 in about 8 years to bring up averages of test batsmen who have played more than 20 matches and see his name. Then they'll start on a tirade about how stiff he was to be dropped between calling ball by ball as Handscomb/Renshaw make another ton.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Imagine how Adam Voges feels? Second highest Australian batting average of all time...
matth
Guest
Like Shewag, I think you take the genius, accept the flaws and risks, and select an appropriately solid partner for him (a la Rogers, Renshaw so far).
matth
Guest
Hear, hear.
matth
Guest
Poor old Joe Burns. Man of the match with a great century in NZ just before the Sri Lanka tour. Fails in his first two tests in Asia and is dropped. His confidence is shot. He is not selected for the start of the Australian summer, although Khawaja is. Comes back for one game as an injury substitute, fails and is dropped again. Still has an average as an opener of nearly 40 and was on fire last summer. I hope he can come back in some form down the track.
soapit
Guest
just report him christo. they seem to feel his rubbish articles are worth leaving up (surely they could better use his fee to pay geoff parkes et al who write beyond secondary school level?) but at least they take his abusive posts down when you alert the mods. if he was a ordinary poster he'd likely be banned by now given his ability to put forward opinions without abuse (a sign of the quality of the opinion). all part of the charmed life he leads being paid for his writing
Ken (Sava) Lloyd
Guest
And By the way David if what our Test Team are wearing off field, then it will soon be THE Baggy Blue Cap. Green and Gold.please Sava
Ken (Sava) Lloyd
Guest
Warner has reverted to his early way of playing Cricket and that is having a lash at every bowl,and his old not a good look, Up you .gestures,while Renshaw at the other end kept up the Test match batting style of Pat-A Back,letting every second bowl go through to the keeper,Nice Leave,20 dot balls Renshaw and Smith,no wonder the crowd was doing the Mexican Wave,Ho hum I am learning to cook by watching Nigela ,a much better option than watching Steve Smith spitting in his hands. Sava
Paul D
Roar Guru
http://www.theroar.com.au/2015/11/09/australian-cricket-selectors-last-got-right/ So rather like Joe Burns, Renshaw is set in concrete until he isn't David?
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
What a childish response David. Why not simply acknowledge Zozza's point. As I know you love statistics... Home batting average: 59.29 Away batting average: 36.77 Proof that Zozza's point is legitimate. How about you address it in an adult manner? Or is that too much to expect?
qwetzen
Guest
Sorry. It was a bit too subtle for you. I was having a dig at David over his recent use of OD stats to push Zampa towards a Test spot. I'll try and dumb it down for you (and David) in future Ace. Oh and btw, there is no NSW bias Oz cricket. I know this because Tubs & Slats & Pup & Binga told me when we were having a yak about Snic's selection.
Lancey5times
Roar Rookie
When you take a look at his numbers you would be a brave man to recommend any change at all to his approach. Two very recent examples are yesterday (Renshaw maybe doesn't hang around if Warner didn't explode out of the box and if the weather causes some lost time this fast start may keep the result in play). Also, in Melbourne he should have been man of the match. We were absolutely no chance of chasing the win without the run rate he set when making his ton in the first dig. I know you are only talking about tweaking his approach but if it may potentially impact what he is currently putting out then it is too great a risk.
Felix
Guest
I want to open a can of worms here and throw a clichéd cat amongst Bill's pigeons. Let's discuss Warner. For all the brilliance he displayed yesterday, he was in the sheds not long after lunch. In a perverse way, I feel like he needs to do the Reverse Renshaw - once you've splayed the bowling to all parts of the world, dig in and bat time. I'm not suggesting he strays too far away from his natural game, but it would be great to see him turn starts into 175-200+ innings. That can be the difference between a 350-450 score and a 500-550 score. Discuss.
Lancey5times
Roar Rookie
We could be in for something truly special today. If he doesn't get broken in his first service game he may go on to surpass Jack's 18 majors by Tea
Peter
Roar Rookie
RE Foster's 287 would be a good target.
Lancey5times
Roar Rookie
I was expecting a line that reads sorta like this, "If not for the poor performance of Hohns as a selector Renshaw would already have several centuries to his name and he and Warner would be established as the most prolific opening partnership in the history of cricket. Thus taking all manner of pressure off Pat Cummins at 5, Adam Zampa at 6 and the recalled Brad Haddin at 7. Maxwell who?"
Lancey5times
Roar Rookie
This time last summer Joe Burns was churning out the tons
Basil
Guest
Why limit ourselves only to the SCG? Surely this is going to be the biggest Test innings of all time...