Centurions David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne posted the highest partnership in a day-night Test to take Australia to 1-302 against Pakistan in Adelaide.
Marnus Labuschagne became Test cricket’s leading run-scorer for 2019 as he and David Warner hit a record pink-ball partnership to drive Australia to a commanding position.
In a dominant opening day at the Adelaide Oval, Warner and Labuschagne both hit big hundreds as part of an unbeaten 294-run stand.
Warner finished not out on 166, batting gloriously to hit back-to-back hundreds for the sixth time in his career after his 154 at the Gabba.
Labuschagne’s century was also his second straight and allowed him to overtake Steve Smith at the top of the Test run charts – his unbeaten 126 taking him to 793 for the calendar year.
After Joe Burns fell early for just four, Warner and Labuschagne didn’t offer any real chance for the rest of the evening against an ill-disciplined Pakistan attack.
Things could have been far worse for the tourists too, had rain not washed away 17 overs for the day in a two-hour delay either side of the tea break.
The pair’s stand was the highest in pink-ball history, overtaking the 248 runs Englishmen Joe Root and Alastair Cook combined for against West Indies in 2017.
It was also the highest second-wicket stand of all time for Australia against Pakistan, surpassing Mark Taylor and Justin Langer’s 279 in Peshawar in 1998.
Warner played wonderfully through the offside, hitting 13 of his 19 boundaries either on the cover drive or cut shot.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Overall Pakistan have been too short to the left-hander, who only slowed as he neared three figures before reaching his ton off 156 balls courtesy of overthrows.
It marked Warner’s first century in a day-night Test, with his previous top score 47.
“I actually really tightened up in my defence,” Warner said.
“Probably the best I’ve ever left I think. And I think that’s down to the quality bowling of (Mohammad) Abbas.
“I just waited for him to over-pitch and that’s one thing on my game I’ve really tried to work hard on is really try to be a bit more patient and really wait for it.
“The last two games I’ve actually showed myself I can do that and I’m capable of doing that.
“I’m just really proud with how good my defence actually was tonight.”
Labuschagne, meanwhile, was sublime off his legs. Patient early, he has since hit almost half his runs through the midwicket region while also late cutting the spinners behind square.
He brought up his century when he turned Yasir Shah off his pads to the leg side, triggering an euphoric celebration before he and Warner embraced.
The knock continues a golden run for the 25-year-old, who has now hit scores of above 50 in six of his past nine innings. The tourists were their own worst enemies.
They bowled poorly, with debutant Muhammad Musa regularly being far too short and the recalled Mohammad Abbas having virtually no impact.
“They probably bowled a fraction too short, didn’t make us bowl straight down the ground,” Warner said.
“I think you’ve got to try and dry up the field a little bit and try and get us playing straight and I think we were able to score freely.”
At one stage they bowled part-time off spinner Iftikhar Ahmed in the second over after the dinner break, when the pink ball is hardest to face under lights.
Shaeen Shah Afridi also produced two howlers on the boundary, one time kicking the ball over the rope and at another point running the wrong way on a ball hit straight at him.
He did however provide the only highlight for Pakistan, getting Burns edging behind cheaply.
Bobbo7
Guest
Because because ... they cheated India won, the end. Basically quality bats do well in Australia. Williamson and Kolhi average over 50 against a very good attack, showing quality players find the wickets easy.
Nudge
Roar Rookie
For the first time ever, and with our two best batsman not playing
Nudge
Roar Rookie
Good to hear from you PIO. Yes I remember that 2010-11 series very well. I thought that series was the only series in the last 20 years where the wickets were way too flat. I did find that series very boring. Lol.
Bobbo7
Guest
India win the series here.
Pom in Oz
Roar Guru
Hi Nudge mate. You are correct. What you find dull in India, I find the same for one sided matches in Oz. Out of interest, I checked England's last 2 tours here. 19 innings and only 2 scores over 400. However, in their previous and victorious tour of 2010-11, they batted in 7 innings and scored over 500 on 4 occasions. I guess things have gone downhill a little since then... :crying:
Nudge
Roar Rookie
Their may not be much seam movement PIO or swing but there is plenty of bounce, which for me is entertaining cricket. Perhaps it’s boring because we play bounce well, from being brought up on bouncy wickets, and all other teams struggle apart from South Africa. If you have one team who handle bounce well and the other are hopeless it turns into one sided affairs, which to some, may find boring. To me, watching cricket in India can be boring. India obviously play spin brilliantly, other teams don’t. Watching India bat first, pile on 500 plus and see the other team fold for 200, is boring. Perhaps that what happens for you in Australia. To be honest, I’d doubt England have past 400 in the last 20 times they have played in Australia. Can’t be that easy to bat here
Nudge
Roar Rookie
Yet, I reckon in the past 10 years that their would have only been about 2 or 3 tests that weren’t rain effected draws. Maybe you find them boring because unless South Africa are here, we smash every team.
Pom in Oz
Roar Guru
As I stated, to be successful you need to be quick, which Aussie bowlers are. Tbh even the Aussie quicks laboured against good Indian batmen last summer. Pakistan aren't that good...
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
As usual total BS from Warner. There's only one reason his form has improved ...... He's back in Australia. He's not Test standard anywhere else.
Melvin Pukely
Guest
Re "His key to turnaround is weak and poor opponents, we all saw how he struggled against quality bowlers." I have to agree, plus the previously mentioned roads. When confronted by lateral movement Warner is fairly clueless as in the recent Ashes, his most recent efforts against South Africa and in India on the last Test tour.
Bobbo7
Guest
They have been roads for the last few years. This has bern discussed at length for years. Some of those scores were due to some average players. Australia produces the flattest wickets in the world now days.
TheCunningLinguistic
Roar Rookie
He is very much a confidence player, our Warner. He has got it back now, and if he can maintain it, he might do very well against much better opposition in the NZ series. As he said, his defence looks tighter and he is definitely leaving the ball better. I, for one, can't wait to see how we go against NZ!
jameswm
Roar Guru
So how is it the Aussie bowlers have little trouble dismissing the opposition?
jameswm
Roar Guru
One quality bowler actually.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Yes India do thanks. Pakistan got 240 and 330. Doesn’t sound like a road. India last summer 250 & 307 1st test. 283 & 140 2nd test. In Melbourne and Sydney 440, 110 and 600. 5/7 times they couldn’t exceed 310. Australia didn’t exceed 330 the whole series because we didn’t have Warner, this incarnation of Labuschagne, or of course Smith. So funnily enough they weren’t roads last summer. Or just maybe, it had something to do with the quality of our batting.
Pom in Oz
Roar Guru
I'm not happy coz Warner is w anchor, but spot on with your reasoning, Paul. Australian roads and the crap Kookaburra make for very boring test cricket. Way too easy for batsmen. Bowlers have to have metronomic accuracy or bowl 100mph to be successful. No swing and very little seam movement...yawn!
Bobbo7
Guest
India don't, SA didn't and NZ did well out here with the bat last time. Australia has a strong bowling line up too which helps. Warner is a good player but the roads Australia is producing these days makes for pretty boring cricket.
Rissole
Roar Rookie
Yeah good on him for making runs even with limited challenge. Hopefully he can gain some confidence and score some more runs in more challenging conditions.
Paul
Roar Guru
I'm really happy for Warner he's batting as well as he is but in fairness he has just a few things going his way; 1) playing against a Kookaburra that maybe moved an inch all innings 2) playing against debutants in two Tests 3) playing against a guy who can't crack 130kms and who needs movement to be effective 4) playing on pitches offering virtually nothing 5) playing against a team who's skipper failed to attack Warner effectively with ordinary field placing and no proper bowling plans I'm very sure it's going to be a completely different scenario when Kane Williamson brings his team to town,
v.s
Roar Rookie
His key to turnaround is weak and poor opponents, we all saw how he struggled against quality bowlers.