Warner ton puts him back on track

David Warner has answered his critics in resounding style, whacking his first century back in Australian colours since his 12-month ban ended.

David Warner celebrates reaching his century against Pakistan at The County Ground in Taunton, England

David Warner has answered his critics in resounding style, whacking his first century back in Australian colours since his 12-month ban ended.

Four games back into his return, Warner brought up his century against Pakistan when he edged Shaheen Afridi to third man off his 102nd ball in Taunton last night.

He leaped into the air in typical fashion, pointing his helmet towards the Australian dressing room in a celebration that hasn’t been seen in international cricket since Boxing Day 2017.

Afridi eventually had him out caught at deep cover for 107 from 111 balls, clapped off the ground by the vocal Pakistani fans. While that and the shot to bring up his hundred weren’t his best, they were almost his only streaky moments in a dominant innings against the 1992 champions.

Warner entered the game as the tournament’s seventh leading run-scorer, on the back of the two slowest half-centuries of his career against India and Pakistan. But he had no such issues at Taunton.

The left-hander looked on from the moment he pulled Afridi for four off his second ball to get off the mark.

With Pakistan struggling to find their lengths, he was as dangerous as ever on the drive and pull, as he hit 11 boundaries in his century.

The hundred marks Warner’s 15th in one-day cricket, and his first since September 2017.

After Warner laid the platform, the defending champions lost 8-84 late to be all out for 307.

Seemingly on track for a total closer to 400, Glenn Maxwell lost his off stump on 20 trying to take Shaheen Afridi on before Shaun Marsh (23 off 26) and Usman Khawaja (18 off 16) couldn’t get going.

Mohammad Amir was the star for Pakistan, claiming career-best figures of 5-30 and building pressure as the rest of his team’s bowlers struggled with their lines and lengths.

He got the key wicket of Aaron Finch at deep cover for 82, and halted Australia’s momentum with the dismissals of both Marsh and Khawaja later in the innings as they tried to take him down the ground.

Having made the ball move throughout the innings, the left-armer was then too good for Alex Carey (20 off 21) and Mitchell Starc (3) to have Australia all out in the penultimate over of the innings.

Finch and Warner had earlier made a sloppy Pakistan pay as their 156-run opening stand was the biggest of the tournament so far for any wicket. Finch’s 82 marked his sixth straight score of 50 or more against Pakistan. He now averages 63 against them in 10 one-day internationals.

AAP