David Warner

This, Warner's 25th Test century, felt extra special - perhaps because of all the drama around it.

There was the trademark leap and the kiss to his family. But he also directed his attention to the area that houses the media and potentially others who have been in his sights. He is one of the fittest batters in the modern game, and the quality of his physical preparation meant he could cash in better than others with his frantic running between the wickets. He was pinged on the index finger, but he still pushed for a second run to try to get back on strike. His preparation for the first Test of the summer in Perth was bizarre. But the way he fended at it, and took both eyes off it, looked different from the Warner of old. His mind was not in the same place. It was a brute of a ball from Kagiso Rabada. He hadn't made a Test century for three years, and it was burning inside of him. He told us with his celebration. He told us with his bat. He told us he would play like his old self.

Warner absorbed all the pre-Test heat that was on him and dragged the South African team into the furnace with him.

Travis Head finished the day with 48 not out that he typically made in the blink of an eye, Alex Carey is there on nine, and Warner could return to bat on the third day after a night’s rest and electrolytes. The only problems they face are the injuries: Nortje smashed Cameron Green on his right index finger and forced him to retire late in the day, while Mitchell Starc injured his own bowling hand while fielding a day earlier. The tactical nature of his innings ruined South Africa, just as Australia’s broader tactics had done, choosing to bowl in the moderate heat of the first day largely to avoid having to do so on the second. His 30th Test century looked a formality, but South Africa in desperation brought back Nortje before the new ball was due, and Smith steered a catch to gully on 85. But on the second day of the contest, Warner absorbed all of the heat that there was, and dragged the South African team into the furnace with him. In 2022, Warner and Smith broke South Africa, adding 239 in the biggest partnership of their long batting career.

Not content with a first Test century in almost three years, David Warner continued to 200 before retiring hurt in his 100th match for Australia.

Warner immediately saw the opportunity to steal a second and hared down the pitch, oblivious to the fact Labuschagne had been forced to stretch for his ground in making the initial run and was metres beyond the batting crease by the time he turned and saw his partner hurtling at him. In defiance of the established cricket cliché, Warner called for a second run after he and Marnus Labuschagne scrambled for a cheeky single and a resultant shy at the striker's end of stumps was fumbled by the fielder backing up. When he was a few runs shy of his half-century, Warner was struck a glancing blow on the helmet by a searing Nortje bouncer that skimmed off the lid and flew to the fine leg boundary prompting celebratory cheers from the crowd who believed the milestone had been reached before leg byes were signalled. While Nortje emerged unscathed from the incident, in which he was struck around the chest by the low-flying hardware and momentarily sat on his haunches, the incident will surely require closer examination and provided a thumbnail sketch of the Proteas' fortunes in the series to date. Green was struck on the right index finger by a short ball from South Africa's fastest bowler Anrich Nortje, which drew blood from the first knuckle and will cast doubt over his capacity to bowl in the second innings given – as with Starc – the injury is to his bowling hand. Australia ground a dispirited South Africa into the dust on day two of the second NRMA Insurance Test, due largely to Warner's 200 that ended in dramatic scenes with the opener so affected by the hot weather he was compelled to retire hurt and effectively carried from the field after almost six hours batting.

After the better part of three years without a Test century, David Warner clatters 200 runs on day two of his 100th Test, leaving South Africa scrambling at ...

After shouting at the ball "Go!" to will it to the rope, he let out a yell and ripped his helmet off, unleashing the trademark jump and punch of the air that has been absent for the past three years. Warner copped a blow to the helmet off the top edge early in the day, then had Nortje rap him on the gloves when on 93 as part of an over in which every delivery was clocked at over 150kph. But Warner came out swinging, playing with an attacking fluency that rolled back the years and put to bed, for now at least, any questions over his selection at the top of the order. Coming into the match off the back of 27 Test innings without a century, dating back to the new year's Test of 2020, Warner not only carried the baggage of his leadership dispute with Cricket Australia, but question marks over his fading form at Test level. He could not add to the 200, though, as the long day in searing heat at the MCG took a toll on his body, with cramps exacerbated by his milestone celebration eventually forcing him from the field, retiring hurt but with his job more than done.

A furious presence at the crease, yet serenely compact, Warner's punches would stand the test of time.

The bowlers tend to take it across from the back of length or length and try to surprise him with the fuller one, hoping to catch him off-balance. If the bowler misses the good length and drags it back, he can collapse the arm for his short-arm pulls. It suits his feisty personality and the overall balance he strives to keep at crease. A furious press-back, then the opening of the front foot – he might just be defending the ball but until that moment of anaesthetising, he would make it seem as if he was about to jab. The Indians tend to collapse the arms a bit, and allow the wrists to enter the scene. David Boon had a furious twirl of the bat and a fierce cut, Terming Arthur was well-intentioned but the side-effect was detrimental to Warner. Alarmed at seeing him fail, Woodhill arranged a meeting to effect a turnaround- and would later say this to the Guardian. A young Warner was a lot more fiesty, pouncing on even length balls, if he was confident enough that there was no great deviation off the pitch, to punch em. But it’s the norm that one is interested. A Mark Waugh, or going back into the mists of time, Victor Trumper, if one is to believe the raves of the past. “I’m a plumber, and I said to him, ‘You can give it away and come labour for me, digging trenches, or you can put your head down and put everything into this if you want to be a professional sportsman’,” Steve, his brother, has said in the past.

The exhausted opener retired hurt after a sensational knock as Australia dominated day two.

Australia have utterly dominated the second day of the Boxing Day test against South Africa after David Warner reinvigorated his career with a stunning ...

He retired hurt and was helped from the field, as his legs seemed to have given up on him. He dropped to his knees and held his helmet and bat aloft. After Cameron Green ripped the heart out of the South African batting order with 5-27 on the opening day, it was over to David Warner on day two.

On the way to his third double-century in 254 balls, Warner posted his 25th hundred, and first in nearly three years, while becoming Australia's eighth ...

"He thrives on that." Trying to poach a run from an overthrow before lunch he ran out batting partner Marnus Labuschagne for 14. (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford and Ed Osmond) He has rarely held back after reaching a ton but there was added gusto in his celebrations as he blew kisses off his bat to family and fans around the ground. 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. Warner's wife and staunchest defender Candice wept happy tears in the crowd but was hardly surprised by his return to form. The son of working class parents raised in government housing in Sydney, Warner now wants for little as a global star, barring another chance to win the Ashes in England next year. 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. All that was swept aside as he battled through cramps and a bruised hand from an Anrich Nortje ball to savour one of his finest days in cricket. 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. On the way to his third double-century in 254 balls, On Tuesday, on day two of his 100th test, the veteran Australia opener retired on 200 in cramped-up exhaustion after tormenting the Proteas in a Melbourne Cricket Ground furnace, quashing all debate about his place in the side.

The under-fire Australian opener's gritty 200 against South Africa shows he still has plenty to offer ahead of a blockbuster year of test cricket.

but to come out here and just back myself and look to score, have that intent, which was probably missing from the last 12 months. to go out and execute that emphatically was awesome." *

Opener revealed he was emotional after reaching his century having felt some pressure in the lead-up.

[Steven Smith](http://www.espncricinfo.com/player/steven-smith-267192), who was himself battling flu, subbed in for a weary Warner during the post-play press conference on Tuesday. It was a magical moment and so proud to do it in front of my family and friends." "I was going through that [his best knocks] the other day with a couple of the journos and that definitely is up there now," Warner told Channel Seven. "I don't see any reason why he can't continue playing. Warner had been under immense pressure entering the final Test of the year, after averaging just 20.61 from 10 matches in 2022. "When your back's against the wall, you can only look to move forward, that's how I've always been," he said.

He has rarely held back after reaching a ton but there was added gusto in his celebrations as he blew kisses off his bat to family and fans around the ...

As David Warner was celebrating an emotional century, wife Candice was in the stands giving TV interviews slamming the 'lack of support' he was receiving ...

'That interview with Candice Warner was the most cringe thing ever. He's not a victim and neither is she.' In saying that why does Candice Warner feel the need to defend him whenever a mic is put in front of her face? He's a polarizing character. Candice and her children were all on hand to see David score his exceptional double century 'Everyone saying he (Warner) is too old and should retire. Warner was the ringleader of a ball-tampering plot with sandpaper in a 2018 Test against David and Candice Warner leave in tears after the 2018 press conference at Sydney Airport after the former arrived back in the country following the ball-tampering scandal Wonderful innings from a great Australian cricketer. Candice Warner watches on at day one of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne As the left-hander was overcome by emotion and celebrated his century with a customary leap and blowing a kiss to his family, Candice was seen appearing to choke back tears as she clapped her husband. David Warner celebrates his emotional, drought-breaking century with a customary leap into the air on day two of the Boxing Day Test against South Africa