AUS vs SA: David Warner hits 100 in 100th Test to join rare club, crosses 8000 runs

AUS vs SA: Warner became just the 10th batter and second Australian in Test history to hit a hundred in their milestone 100th appearance during the second Test against South Africa at the MCG.

Australia’s David Warner slammed a century in his 100th Test appearance during the Boxing Day Test against South Africa in Melbourne. | Photo Credit: AP

Australia opener David Warner slammed a century in his 100th Test during day two of the Boxing Day match against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

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Warner reached the mark off just 144 balls with a four down the on-side off South Africa seamer Kagiso Rabada.

The 36-year-old Warner became just the 10th batter and second Australian in Test history to hit a hundred in their milestone 100th appearance in whites. Former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting is the only batter to score two centuries in his 100th Test.

💯 in Test 💯!

Well played, David Warner! #PlayOfTheDay#AUSvSA | @nrmainsurancepic.twitter.com/DsgFyoBvLR

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2022

Warner has been on a lean patch in Test cricket and his recent form had come under heavy scrutiny. His 25th Test ton and fifth against South Africa helped Warner end a streak of 27 innings without crossing the three-figure mark.

Warner, who made his Test debut in 2011, also went past the 8000-run mark during the knock - the eighth Australian batter to the feat.

Warner’s 25 Test tons places him in the fifth spot among all openers in Test cricket. Sunil Gavaskar (33), Alastair Cook (31), Matthew Hayden (30) and Graeme Smith (27) are the only batters ahead of Warner in this list.

Warner (45) also has the second-most international centuries among active players, only behind Virat Kohli (72). The dashing left-hander also equalled Sachin Tendulkar (45) for most tons as opener across formats.

Batters to hit 100 in their 100th Test

• Colin Cowdrey - 104 - England v Australia, 1968
• Javed Miandad - 145 - Pakistan v India, 1989
• Gordon Greenidge - 149 - West Indies v England, 1990
• Alex Stewart - 105 - England v West Indies, 2000
• Inzamam-ul-Haq - 184 - Pakistan v India, 2005
• Ricky Ponting - 120 and 143* - Australia v South Africa, 2006
• Graeme Smith - 131 - South Africa v England, 2012
• Hashim Amla - 134 - South Africa v Sri Lanka, 2017
• Joe Root - 218 - England v India, 2021
• David Warner - 100* - Australia v South Africa, 2022

Most Test hundreds as opener

• Sunil Gavaskar - 33 in 203 innings
• Alastair Cook - 31 in 278 innings
• Matthew Haydern - 30 in 184 innings
• Graeme Smith - 27 in 196 innings
• David Warner - 25 in 181 innings

Most hundreds as opener across formats

• 45 - David Warner*
• 45 - Sachin Tendulkar
• 42 - Chris Gayle
• 41 - Sanath Jayasuriya
• 40 - Matthew Hayden