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Second Test: Australian bowlers cash in on Warner’s record-breaking knock

The destroyers: Mitchell Starc and David Warner embrace at stumps.

The destroyers: Mitchell Starc and David Warner embrace at stumps. Photo: AAP

Australia’s bowlers are set to capitalise further on David Warner’s record-breaking batting heroics to wrap up the second Test against Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval.

With Australia’s bowlers smashing through the Pakistan top-order on Saturday night only a further 14 wickets are required for a 2-0 series victory.

David Warner smashed 335 to bat Pakistan out of the match on day two, with Australia declaring at 3-589 and Pakistan falling to 6-96 at stumps.

The not out batsmen are Babar Azam 43 and Yasir Shah 4, who were the only bats left standing after Mitchell Starc went on a rampage to snare 5-22 in the evening session.

Pat Cummins had figures of 1-45 and Josh Hazlewood 1-29.

With wet weather expected on Sunday, Australia will hope to make short work of the remaining bats.

Earlier Warner’s opener’s huge innings saw him pass Bradman’s 1932 Adelaide Oval record Test score of 299, thrilling the crowd with a smart innings that combined deft placement and hard running. He hit 39 fours and a big six.

The former vice captain, who was suspended for 12 months after the Capetown ball tampering scandal, also set the second-highest Test score by an Australian, formerly held jointly by Bradman and Mark Taylor.

“It’s just about being disciplined, the last two days I have been very disciplined and am happy about that,” Warner told Channel Seven.

“It’s a great milestone and has put the team and a great position.”

It was Warner’s first innings past 300 and comes after the opener endured a shocking Ashes campaign in England, where he made only 95 runs for the entire series.

In perhaps the greatest sign of how often Pakistan failed to bowl full and straight, only 21 of the left-hander’s runs came past mid-off and mid-on.

Leg spinner Yasir Shah copped the most tap with figures of 0-197, while Muhammad Musa (0-114) and Mohammad Abbas (0-100) also reached three figures. Teenager Shaheen Shah Afridi was the only bowler to have any joy, taking 3-88.

Still, their poor bowling shouldn’t take away from Warner’s brilliance. He finished with the 10th-highest score in the 142-year history of Test cricket.

david-warner

Warner celebrates with his trademark leap and kiss of the helmet. Photo: AAP

Warner said he knew when the Australian declaration was going to come and knew that he would not get the chance to chase down Matthew Hayden’s 380 highest-ever score by an Australian.

Brian Lara’s world record of 400 was also in sight, with the West Indies champion at the ground, but with wet weather forecast for the rest of the weekend it was prudent to try and claim fast wickets.

The Adelaide Oval scoreboard marks David Warner’s big innings. Photo: AAP

Steve Smith also claimed his own piece of history, despite falling relatively cheaply for 36 when caught behind off Shaheen Shah Afridi – who took all three wickets.

The former skipper became the fastest batsman to reach 7000 Test runs.

It has taken Smith 126 innings to reach the mark, getting there five faster than Englishman Walter Hammond, who has held the record since 1946.

Smith’s innings also took him past Don Bradman’s career-mark of 6996 runs, lifting him to the 11th most prolific scorer in Australian Test history.

Pakistan’s reply started poorly when Imam-ul-Huq fell for two, with Warner in the action again, taking the catch off the bowling of Mitchell Starc.

Then it was Azhar Ali’s turn to head for the changing room after edging a Cummins fireball to Smith. At 2-22 Josh Hazlewood tempted Shaan, who was caught by Paine.

The collapse continued when Starc followed up to have Asad Shafiq caught behind for nine, followed by Iftikhar Ahmad who fell to a brilliant catch from Australian skipper Tim Paine for 10 and then Rizwan out for a duck, also caught Paine.

On Sunday, he’ll be expecting more of the same.

-with AAP

 

 

 

 

 

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