Australia batter David Warner received a standing ovation as he played the last innings of his Test career at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday. Warner, who scored a century in the first Test against Pakistan in Perth, registered scores of 38 and 6 in the ongoing Boxing Day Test at MCG. After being cleaned up by Mir Hamza in his final Test innings at MCG, Warner was not happy with his dismissal. However, the crowd at the MCG gave him a special send off. As the crowd applauded him with a special ovation, Warner looked visibly emotional as he waved his bat at the crowd and showed a thumps-up.
As he was walking back to the dressing room, Warner made a young fan’s day by handing his batting gloves to him.
At the ground where he scored 912 Test runs, and made his T20I debut all those years, David Warner bids farewell to the MCG for one final time #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/0XQ6O74meH
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 28, 2023
On Wednesday, Warner surpassed former skipper and legendary batter Steve Waugh to become the second-highest run-scorer for Australia.
Now in 371 international appearances, Warner has 18,515 runs at an average of 42.56. He has 49 centuries and 93 fifties in international cricket, with the best score of 335*.
He is now above Waugh (18,496 runs in 493 matches at an average of 41.65, with 35 centuries and 95 fifties) and below legendary Ricky Ponting (27,368 runs at an average of 45.84 in 559 matches with 70 centuries and 146 fifties) in the all-time run-scoring list.
In 111 Tests, Warner has scored 8,689 runs at an average of 44.78, with 26 centuries and 36 fifties in 202 innings. His best score is 335*.
In 161 ODIs, Warner has 6,932 runs at an average of 45.30, with 22 centuries and 33 fifties in 159 innings. His best score is 179.
Across 99 T20Is, Warner has 2,894 runs at an average of 32.88, with a century and 24 fifties in 99 innings. His best score is 100*.
Coming to the match, Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith led an Australian fightback after the hosts slumped to 16-4 on Day.
At Tea, Australia were 107-4 with Marsh on 57 and Smith not out 26 in a crucial 91-run partnership after a horror start on a pitch still offering plenty for the bowlers.
(With Agency Inputs)
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