PERTH: Australia’s opener David Warner brushed aside any doubts about his Test match pedigree with a brutal 164-run assault on Pakistan’s bowlers as the hosts glided to 346-5 after 84 overs at stumps on day one of the series opener in Perth on Thursday.

The 37-year-old, who intends to retire from Tests after the third and final game in Sydney, combined with Usman Khawaja (41) in a 126-run opening stand to get the hosts off to a strong start after winning the toss.

A delightful upper cut for four in the 43rd over saw Warner bring up a breezy 125-ball hundred, his 26th in Tests, prompting a trademark celebratory leap and a cheeky ‘shush’ towards the media box.

“It’s my job to come out here and score runs, that was from the get-go to put pressure on the Pakistani bowlers,” Warner, who had averaged only 32 in Tests since the start of 2020, told Fox Cricket.

“There’s going to be criticism but you’ve got to take that. There’s no better way to silence them (than) by putting runs on the board.”

Warner batted for much of day one before finally departing to Aamer Jamal, two balls after smashing the debutant for six.

At stumps, Mitchell Marsh was unbeaten on 15 and Alex Carey not out 14.

Pakistan have never won a Test series in Australia and have failed to win a Test in the country since 1995, with Shan Masood’s side again facing a daunting task.

Their bowlers showed flashes of brilliance and were rewarded with the wickets of Usman Khawaja (41), Marnus Labuschagne (16), Steve Smith (31) and Travis Head (40).

But until Aamer struck, they had no answer to a near-flawless Warner who smashed 16 fours and four sixes in a majestic 211-ball innings.

He padded up under pressure to score runs with an emotional goodbye from Test cricket at the third Test in Sydney in front of his hometown fans his stated goal.

In the lead-up, former Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson questioned whether Warner deserved a hero’s farewell given his recent poor red-ball form and involvement in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.

With his back against the wall in his 110th Test, Warner responded in typically swashbuckling fashion.

After Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat, Warner took a confident single off his first ball in an opening over from Shaheen Shah Afridi that leaked 14 runs and never looked back.

On a pitch offering bounce, he quickly settled in to bring up his half-century off just 41 balls with a boundary from Faheem Ashraf.

His strike rate slowed after lunch as he moved towards a 26th Test ton, reaching three figures off Aamer and performing his trademark celebration.

It was Warner’s first century since a battling 200 against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground a year ago.

He was dropped by pacer Khurram Shahzad soon after bringing up his milestone but was otherwise in command until Aamer tempted him with a short ball and he was caught near the ropes by Imam-ul-Haq.

Khawaja, wearing a black armband in solidarity with the people of Gaza, was happy to play second fiddle in a 126-run opening stand.

He had a massive let-off on 25 when dropped but departed when Pakistan’s bowlers picked up their game after lunch, caught by wicket-keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed off Shaheen’s bowling.

Labuschagne looked in good nick, racing to 16 when he was beaten by a ball pitched up by Faheem and given out lbw.

Smith clattered a four through midwicket off his second ball to signal his intent but, after effortlessly making 31, he was deceived by a delivery from Khurram and got a faint edge to the diving Sarfraz.

It was a maiden Test wicket for the debutant. Head cashed in with a quick 40 before top-edging straight to Salman Ali Agha, ensuring Aamer too earned a first Test wicket.

Pakistan will take heart from their disciplined post-lunch bowling performance and the possibility of restricting Australia to under 400 on day two.

“I still believe we are in the game,” said Aamer. “We are planning to get them out in the first hour tomorrow morning.

“The wicket is good, it’s not that bad. If we bowl in the right areas, it has got lots to offer.”

SCOREBOARD

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings):

D. Warner c Imam b Aamer 164

U. Khawaja c Sarfraz b Shaheen 41

M. Labuschagne lbw Faheem 16

S. Smith c Sarfraz b Shahzad 31

T. Head c Salman b Aamer 40

M. Marsh not out 15

A. Carey not out 14

STILL TO BAT: P. Cummins, M. Starc, N. Lyon, J. Hazlewood

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-10, NB-6, W-8) 25

TOTAL (for five wickets, 84 overs) 346

Fall of wickets: 1-126 (Khawaja), 2-159 (Labuschagne), 3-238 (Smith), 4-304 (Head), 5-321 (Warner)

BOWLING: Shaheen 19-5-75-1, Khurram 17-5-62-1, Aamer 12-0-63-2, Faheem 14-0-65-1, Salman 22-2-70-0

UMPIRES: Richard Illingworth (England), Joel Wilson (West Indies)

TV UMPIRE: Michael Gough (England)

MATCH REFEREE: Javagal Srinath (India)

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2023