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Ton of emotions as Warner soars
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DAVID Warner paid moving tribute to Phillip Hughes in compiling a brilliant century, but Australia’s joy was tempered with another injury to captain Michael Clarke on an emotional opening day of the first test against India yesterday.
Warner’s sparkling 145 from 163 balls had the hosts off to a flying start at a sun-drenched Adelaide Oval, and though India captured a flurry of late wickets, Steven Smith added an unbeaten 72 after tea to push Australia to 354-6 at stumps.
A day that began solemnly with a slew of tributes to Hughes ended with concerns over the fitness of Clarke, who retired hurt on 60 with a lower back injury.
Having raced to be fit for the match after suffering a third hamstring strain in three months, Clarke’s new injury will raise questions over his management, and whether sentimentality trumped sense in his selection for the match.
Batsman Virat Kohli, who replaced the injured Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India captain, lost the all-important toss and watched his bowlers toil for the most part on an unhelpful wicket.
After Warner was caught in the deep when slogging debutante leg-spinner Karn Sharma, Smith and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh added another 87 runs before the latter was caught behind off the bowling of paceman Varun Aaron.
Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon was bowled for three by Mohammed Shami before wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was caught behind for a duck, bringing the day to a close.
Warner took to the Indian pacemen with gusto, clubbing a four off the first ball and crunching another 18 for the day. The pugnacious 28-year-old was fielding when Hughes was struck down by a short ball in a domestic match and he paid tribute to his former teammate on several milestones.
“I was proud of the guys firstly just to be able to walk on to the ground today,” Warner told reporters. “For me to knuckle down and score a 100 was fantastic.”
He raised his bat and head to the sky after reaching 50 and 63 runs, Hughes’ final score for South Australia, and did so again after leaping for joy upon bringing up his century.
Clarke had moved serenely to 60 in tandem with Warner before he twisted to avoid a short ball from Ishant Sharma and immediately lay down to stretch.
Minutes later he trudged off with medical staff, casting a pall over the crowd of more than 25,000.
The opening match of the four-test series was originally scheduled in Brisbane but was delayed and switched to Adelaide to give players time to mourn.
On a day of tributes, both teams wore black armbands and Hughes was named an honorary “13th man” in Australia’s squad. Following a video tribute narrated by iconic Australian commentator Richie Benaud, the crowd stood and applauded for 63 seconds.
Hughes’s death prompted a debate about the use of the bouncer, but paceman Aaron bowled the first in the fourth over, a sizzling 145 kph delivery that drew applause from the crowd.
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