David Warner became the first Australian since Donald Bradman to smash a century before lunch on the first day in a flying start to the third Test against Pakistan on Tuesday.
It was also the first time a batsman has scored 100 in the first session of a Test match in Australia, with Warner only the fourth Australian batsman to achieve the rare feat.
Don Bradman was the last to do so with 105 in Leeds in 1930 on his way to 334, with Victor Trumper hitting 103 in Manchester in 1902 and Charlie Macartney scoring 112 at Leeds in 1926.
The only other player to post a Test century before lunch on the first day of a Test was Pakistan’s Majid Khan (108) against New Zealand in Karachi in 1976.
At lunch in Sydney after winning the toss, Australia were 126 without loss with Warner hurtling along on 100 off 78 balls with the more sedate Matthew Renshaw on 25 off 84 balls.
Warner raced out of the blocks with five boundaries in the first three overs and brought up the 50-run opening partnership off 49 balls.
His half-century came off 42 balls with 10 fours inside the opening hour and the century stand came off 126 balls in 93 minutes with Warner contributing 80.
Warner raised 18th Test century and third against Pakistan in 117 minutes and had hit 17 boundaries by lunch.
It eclipsed his previous fastest century at the Sydney Cricket Ground –off 82 balls in last year’s Test against the West Indies.
