Caution: David Warner ahead

MELBOURNE, December 27

An emotional and exhausted David Warner retired hurt after a majestic 200 as Australia dominated on Day 2 of the second Test today against South Africa, who wilted under a scorching Melbourne sun.

25 On the way to his third double-century Warner smashed his 25th hundred, while becoming Australia’s eighth player to notch 8,000 runs in Tests.

10 The Australian became the 10th man in Test history to score a century in his 100th Test.

2 Warner also became only the second player to score a century in both his 100th ODI as well as 100th Test, after Gordon Greenidge

Australia were 386/3 at stumps, in reply to the Proteas’ first innings 189 — a lead of 197 runs and with the three-match series at their mercy after a six-wicket win in the Brisbane opener.

Short of runs and without a century in nearly three years, a tiring Warner slogged his way to his third double-hundred from 254 balls before succumbing to cramp and limping off the Melbourne Cricket Ground field with the aid of a trainer.

He notched his 25th hundred during the innings and became the eighth Australian to reach 8,000 Test runs, ending a debate about his place in the side following his lean run in the home summer.

He and Steve Smith put on 239 runs for the third wicket before Smith was caught in the gully for 85 off express paceman Anrich Nortje.

“He just played beautifully,” Smith told reporters of Warner. “The more he started to cramp, the more shots he started to play and everything seemed to be coming out of the middle (of the bat).”

Warner was the first of two Australian batters to retire hurt, with all-rounder Cameron Green (six not out) also coming off late after being struck on the index finger by Nortje. The retirements were small mercies for the Proteas, with Smith the only wicket taken by a bowler after Australia resumed on 45/1 in the morning.

The other wicket was a run out, with No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne falling for 14 before lunch when Warner made an ill-judged dash for an extra run from an overthrow. Australia’s in-form No. 5 Travis Head saw off 11 overs of the second new ball to be 48 not out at stumps.

Brief scores: South Africa 189; Australia 386/3 (Warner 200, Smith 85, Head 48*). — Reuters