Candice Warner could not control her tears watching from the MCG stands when her husband roared to form on Tuesday.
Short of runs and under immense pressure with many doubting his relevance in the team, David Warner rose like a Phoenix and batted like a fighter. His innings of 200 on the second day of the Melbourne Test against South Africa was a smack in the face of his critics.
But was Candice surprised by such a response from David? No, she knows him too well for that. “You’d think by now writing David off is probably the wrong thing to do. He thrives on that,” she said.
Warner though had warned the doubters ahead of the Boxing Day Test not to underestimate the fight of a “housing commission boy” with his back against the wall.
On Tuesday, Day II of his 100th Test, the Australia opener tormented the Proteas while writing his own comeback story. And at the end of it all, he left the ground unconquered, bowing only to cramped-up exhaustion to retire hurt.
On the way to his third double-century off 254 balls, Warner posted his 25th hundred, and first in nearly three years, while becoming Australia’s eighth player to notch 8,000 runs in Tests.
Though watchful in the nineties, Warner sealed his first hundred on Tuesday with typical aggression, pulling South Africa spearhead Kagiso Rabada to the fine leg fence to draw the crowd to their feet.
Five years on from a century against India in his 100th ODI, Warner ripped off his helmet and made his trademark leap into the steaming Melbourne air.
Hours later, struggling in 37°C heat, Warner hit a four off Lungi Ngidi to reach his second hundred. After slumping to his knees and pumping his arms in the air, he got to his feet for another leap, but the effort left him leaning on his bat on shaky legs.
Time for compliments
For Warner, it had been a quite forgettable home summer, clouded by off-field drama over his permanent leadership ban. But Tuesday was time for accolades.
Teammate Steve Smith, who scored 85 in a 239-run partnership with Warner, said the opener might have more to give to Australian cricket. “He’s obviously doing pretty well,” Smith told reporters. “Fingers crossed he can keep playing well and he can play for as long as he likes.”
But the best compliment for Warner, the son of working-class parents raised in government housing in Sydney, came from Candice.
“David you are simply remarkable... Today you put on a gladiator effort. You showed the doubters why you are far from over but more importantly you inspired so many young kids watching that if you can achieve this from your humble beginnings that they can too. There have been an incredible amount of lows lately but you showed everyone that with sheer grit, will and determination... anything is possible,” Candice wrote in an emotional Instagram post.
Written with Reuters inputs
Carry on, Warner
Tuesday was a milestone day for David Warner as he, playing his 100th Test, stamped his class with an innings of 200 against the Proteas before retiring hurt. Here’s a look at the facts and figures revolving around the magnificent knock:
LONG WAIT ■ Last Test 100 before Tuesday: 111 n.o. vs NZ (Sydney), Jan.3, 2020
■ No. of innings without a Test 100 since Jan. 2020: 27
ELITE CLUB ■ Warner is only the 2nd cricketer to score a double hundred in his 100th Test. Joe Root is the only other one to do so — 218 vs India, 2021
MEN OF CENTURY Warner is the 10th player in history to make a three-figure score in his 100th Test. The others to do it are:
■ Colin Cowdrey (Eng): 104 vs Aus, 1968
■ Javed Miandad (Pak): 145 vs India, 1989
■ Gordon Greenidge (WI): 149 vs Eng, 1990
■ Alec Stewart (Eng): 105 vs WI, 2000
■ Inzamam-ul Haq (Pak): 184 vs India, 2005
■ Ricky Ponting (Aus): 120 & 143* vs SA, 2006
■ Graeme Smith (SA): 131 vs Eng, 2012
■ Hashim Amla (SA): 134 vs SL, 2017
■ Joe Root (Eng): 218 vs India, 2021
FORMAT FACT
■ Warner now has the distinction of scoring a hundred in his 100th match in both Tests and ODIs. Gordon Greenidge is the only other person in that club.
ON PEAK 8000
The opener, during the course of his innings on Tuesday, became the eighth Australian to score 8000 Test runs. Here’s the full list:
■ Ricky Ponting: 13,378 runs (Avg. 51.85)
■ Allan Border: 11,174 (Avg. 50.56)
■ Steve Waugh: 10,927 (Avg. 51.06)
■ Michael Clarke: 8,643 (Avg. 49.10)
■ Matthew Hayden: 8,625 (Avg. 50.73)
■ Steve Smith*: 8,467 (60.47)
■ Mark Waugh: 8,029 (41.81)
■ David Warner*: 8,122 (46.67)
* denotes current players
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