ADELAIDE: David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne posted back-to-back hundreds and combined in a record 294-run partnership as Australia dominated Pakistan’s revamped attack to finish a truncated day one at 302-1 in the day-night second Test here on Friday.

Warner was unbeaten on 166 and Labuschagne was not out 126 when stumps were drawn at the Adelaide Oval.

The second-wicket stand beat the record partnership of 248 for a day-night Test set by England pair Alastair Cook and Joe Root in 2016-17.

Warner’s 23rd Test century was his 17th in Australia and emphasized his comfort in home conditions following a poor Ashes series in England when he averaged 9.5, which jeopardised his spot at the top of the order.

It was a second Test century in as many matches for Labuschagne, who is playing his 11th Test.

Warner scored 154 and Labuschagne posted a career-high 185 last week in Australias innings victory over Pakistan at the Gabba, where they combined for a century partnership in Australia’s first innings of 580.

Unlike the Gabba, though, they had to join forces early because Joe Burns was dismissed in the fourth over. Burns and Warner put on 222 for the first wicket in Brisbane.

Australian skipper Tim Paine won the toss and elected to bat in gloomy conditions and with rain in the forecast for all five days of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval, opting against the temptation to bowl first in conditions that would have suited his pace attack.

It paid off, despite the loss of Burns (4), who chased a ball from left-arm paceman Shaheen Afridi and edged behind to Mohammad Rizwan with the total at eight.

Labuschagne narrowly avoided a first-ball duck, Shaheen just missing the edge, but grew in confidence in combination with Warner and solidified his claim to the No. 3 spot.

After that, and despite 17 overs lost because of rain, the Australian batters were ruthless in eight wicketless hours.

Warner faced 228 deliveries and hit 19 boundaries to all parts of the ground.

“One thing on my game I’ve really tried to work hard on is really try to be a bit more patient,” Warner said. “The last two games I’ve actually showed myself I can do that. I’m just really proud with how good my defence was tonight.”

It was Warners first century in day-night Test cricket, a relatively new format that Australia leads the world in with a 5-0 record.

Unlike the previous day-night Tests in Australia, though, the pink ball barely swung in the twilight or night conditions and the Pakistan pacemen struggled. The fielding was also poor, with Shaheen kicking the ball into the boundary rope in an embarrassing blunder in the 58th over to give Warner a four off Yasir Shah.

Labuschagne faced 205 balls and hit 17 boundaries. He went within an inch of notching his century with a six, advancing down the track to leg-spinner Yasir Shah and lofting him down to long-off. Replays showed the ball narrowly failed to clear the rope, moving Labuschagne to 98. He reached triple figures with two through the leg side on the next delivery.

He said it felt surreal to be scoring back-to-back centuries and combining in big stands in Test cricket.

“It’s a bit surreal at the moment. It was just amazing to be out there with Davey and to just put on a really big partnerhsip,” said Labuschagne. “Really happy. We were running hard, I love the intensity of the crease.”

Warner paid tribute to the maturity of his partner.

“Credit to Marnus for the way he came out and took the bowlers on again, he picked up where he left off at the Gabba,” he said. “We’re justthrilled to get through that tonight and want to come out tomorrow [Saturday] and put some more runs on the board.”

While the Australians stuck with the same XI that won the series opener, Pakistan made three changes in a bid to end a losing streak in Tests in Australia that dates back to 1995.

Seamer Mohammad Abbas was recalled in place of Imran Khan and 19-year-old Mohammad Musa got a Test debut at the expense of 16-year-old Nasim Shah.

Shaheen had the only breakthrough of the day for Pakistan, returning 1-48 from 18 overs. Abbas had figures of 0-56 from 19 overs and Musa had 0-71 off 13.

Captain Azhar Ali even sent down one over of part-time spin and was duly hit for nine runs. With plans ripped apart and seemingly bereft of ideas, Pakistan may look to the heavens for salvation.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings):

D.A. Warner not out 166

J.A. Burns c Rizwan b Afridi 4

M. Labuschagne not out 126

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-1, NB-4) 6

TOTAL (for one wkt, 73 overs) 302

FALL OF WKT: 1-8.

TO BAT: S.P.D. Smith, T.M. Head, M.S. Wade, T.D. Paine, P.J. Cummins, M.A. Starc, N.M. Lyon, J.R. Hazlewood.

BOWLING (to-date): Mohammad Abbas 19-6-56-0; Shaheen Shah Afridi 18-4-48-1 (1nb); Mohammad Musa Khan 13-1-71-0 (3nb, 1w); Yasir Shah 14-0-87-0; Iftikhar Ahmed 8-0-30-0; Azhar Ali 1-0-9-0.

PAKISTAN: Shan Masood, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Yasir Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Musa Khan.

UMPIRES: M.A. Gough (England) and R.K. Illingworth (England).

TV UMPIRE: R.A. Kettleborough (England).

MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2019