Before this year’s Boxing Day Test, David Warner was under intense scrutiny. The jubilant tone of the week preceding up to his 100th Test match was not matched by nearly three years without a Test century and generally deteriorating batting returns. On the second day of the competition, however, Warner took all of the heat and dragged the South African squad into the fire.
He was 200 not out at the end of a hot day when he limped off with cramps. The South Africans had no such reprieve, bowling until stumps when Australia was leading by 197 runs with the score at 386 for three and two injured retirees who may return tomorrow.
In a lengthy career, Warner has never been accused of lacking courage. On Tuesday, he displayed his entire repertoire under challenging conditions. Anrich Nortje was particularly ferocious, routinely over 150km/h on the speed gun and reaching as high as 155.
The scoreboard may indicate a subpar bowling performance, but Anrich Nortje was particularly lethal, regularly exceeding 150km/h and reaching 155. Warner has not enjoyed confronting fast bowling as of late, and he has had a few tense moments, jamming yorkers and having deflections into pad or body.
However, he remained upright and devised a strategy for survival, avoiding shorter balls when he could and playing back and deflecting singles when the line rendered this impossible.
Turning over the strike throughout the day annoyed the South Africans, particularly the left-handed batter who was hitting with right-handed batters. In the first two innings, Marnus Labuschagne was the only batsman to be dismissed, running himself out after an overthrow for 14 as he was distracted by the ball rather than his partner.
But then followed Steve Smith. South Africa defeated Smith and Warner in 2018. In 2022, Warner and Smith defeated South Africa with the largest partnership of their extensive batting careers, 239 runs.
Smith was determined and patient, spending a long time on seven and another on 33, before bursting into surprising bursts of action, such as lofting Keshav Maharaj’s first ball after lunch for six or blasting Lungi Ngidi for four boundaries from the pull and uppercut in three balls.
His 30th Test century appeared to be a formality, but South Africa’s desperation sent out Nortje before the new ball was due, and Smith was caught in the gully on 85.
Warner’s 25th century was well behind him at that point, and he was approaching his third double-century. His celebration upon reaching the century was possibly his most animated in a decade of Test cricket, as he threw his bat toward various portions of the stands.
His response to the double was one of ecstatic exhaustion, arms wide open, and an attempt to leap into the air was thwarted by a severe calf cramp that would soon force him to retire.
It was a performance that exemplified Warner’s finest qualities: patience and run accumulation in the first few hours, followed by an increase in aggression as the day progressed.
The punches through point, the cover drives, the smacking through wide long-on, and the ridiculously hot all-run fours. As was often observed about Monkey Magic, Warner possessed an irrepressible nature.
The tactical nature of his innings ruined South Africa, just as Australia’s broader tactics had ruined South Africa, choosing to bowl in the moderate heat of the first day to avoid having to bowl on the second.
Nortje shattered Cameron Green’s right index finger, forcing him to retire late in the day, and Mitchell Starc damaged his bowling hand while fielding the day before. The combination of these two injuries could leave the home team shorthanded in the third inning.
There will be additional batting in the future. Travis Head completed the second day with 48 not out, which he usually makes in a flash, Alex Carey is there on nine, and Warner might bat again on the third day after a night of rest and electrolytes. Indeed, given what we know about his nature, he is likely eager to do exactly that.
Joe Root is the only other player to have scored 200 runs in his 100th Test. Nobody has hit a triple, and there are still three days of play remaining. Considerable food for thinking.
