David Warner and Joe Burns heap more misery on New Zealand

Sport360 staff 18:30 07/11/2015
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  • Warner is the 3rd player to score a ton in each innings of a Test 3 times.

    David Warner completed his second hundred of the match and hometown boy Joe Burns posted a brilliant maiden century as Australia continued to totally dominate the first Test against New Zealand in Brisbane.

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    Australia started Saturday by taking the final five Black Caps wickets to skittle their opponents for 317 – Kane Williamson’s classy 140 accounting for almost half of his side’s runs – before taking centre-stage with the bat once again.

    Having posted 163 in the first innings as the hosts strolled to 556 for four declared, Warner (116) shared a 237-run opening partnership with Burns (129) as Australia ruthlessly stretched their already healthy advantage. They finished on 264 for four – a lead of 503 runs after three days.

    Having endured a couple of days of hard toil in the field, the tourists were reduced to 157 for five by the close on Friday.

    Williamson resumed on 55 not out and continued to bat with fluidity to reach his 11th Test hundred, but saw BJ Watling (32), Mark Craig (24), Doug Bracewell (16) and Tim Southee (14) all depart before becoming last man out.

    Watling outside-edged to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill off the first ball of a new Mitchell Johnson spell to kick-start the tumbling of wickets, before Craig attempted a big shot and was caught at point by Mitchell Marsh off the bowling of Nathan Lyon.

    New Zealand had something to cheer when Williamson brought up a fine hundred by tucking Johnson down the leg side for two in the 67th over.

    His partners were continuing to come and go, however.

    Bracewell had been dropped by Adam Voges at first slip off Johnson on four, but it proved only a temporary reprieve as he was soon bowled between bat and pad by Marsh. And when Southee followed suit – his off stump taken out by Mitchell Starc – the visitors were 310 for nine.

    Williamson’s excellent knock – and New Zealand’s innings – ended when he became Starc’s fourth victim, inside-edging to Nevill as he attempted a drive through mid-off.

    Australia chose not to enforce the follow-on despite boasting a 239-run first-innings advantage, and Warner and Burns continued to show no mercy when they started their second innings.

    The pair found the gaps at every opportunity and ran well between the wickets, albeit helped by New Zealand’s below-par bowling.

    Burns motored towards his first hundred and brought it up in amazing style by smashing a flighted delivery from Craig over long-off for six – his second in three balls in the 30th over.

    His three-figure haul took 102 balls, with 12 fours and three sixes.

    The players went in for a short rain break soon after and then, not to be outdone by his opening partner, Warner picked up his pace and duly registered his second hundred of the match and his 14th in Test cricket.

    He too brought up his century with a six, clubbing Craig over deep mid-wicket from the first ball of the 38th over.

    The 29-year-old followed that up with two fours, before immediately going for one big hit too many and slog-sweeping to Trent Boult at deep mid-wicket.

    Burns was joined by Usman Khawaja but the stand was short-lived as the former swiftly holed out – off the bowling of Craig – to long-on, where Ross Taylor held on well.

    Like Warner shortly before, he left to a standing ovation and was congratulated by many an opposition player as he walked back to the dressing room.

    New Zealand snared two further late wickets – Australia captain Steve Smith (one) and Marsh (two) – but it mattered little in the great scheme of things.

    Khawaja – another first-innings centurion – was unbeaten on nine at stumps, alongside Voges (one not out), with an early declaration expected on Sunday.

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