Warner joins illustrious company with triple-century

David Warner has become just the seventh Australian to post a triple-century in Test cricket, further banishing his Ashes demons and eclipsing Sir Donald Bradman's iconic score of 334.

Warner moved to the magical 300 milestone at 5.10pm local time on Saturday, the first Australian to do so since Michael Clarke posted 329 not out against India almost eight years ago.

He brought up his 300 from the 389th ball he faced, clubbing Mohammad Abbas to the mid-wicket boundary and celebrating in trademark fashion with an audible roar, an exuberant leap in the air and vigorous acknowledgement of his teammates and family in the Adelaide Oval members' area.

Attention then turned to how far Warner could go, with the all-time Test world record score of 400 not out set by Brian Lara in 2004 well within reach. But skipper Tim Paine had a different idea and waited until Warner moved past 334, Bradman's highest Test score that had stood alone as the Australian benchmark for 68 years until Mark Taylor equalled it in 1998.

When Warner clipped a single into the leg-side from the 418th ball he faced to move to 335 not out, Paine declared Australia's innings closed at 3-589.

In all, Warner batted for more than nine hours and struck 39 fours and a six.

He joined Bradman (twice), Matthew Hayden, Taylor, Bob Simpson, Bob Cowper and Clarke as Australians to have scored a Test triple ton and is the 27th man overall to reach the mark, the most recent of which was India's Karun Nair in 2016.

Warner's knock is the highest-ever Test score at the Adelaide Oval, surpassing the unbeaten 299 that Bradman scored against South Africa in 1932.

Warner is also just the second man to score a triple hundred in a day-night Test, joining Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali, who has watched the entirety of the left-hander's demoralising knock from his fielding position in this Test.

Warner's innings here is his third century of the international summer having posted 154 in the first Test last week in addition to his T20 hundred against Sri Lanka last month.

It's been a remarkable response to a horror Ashes campaign this year, his first Test series since returning from a 12-month ban, where he managed just 95 runs in 10 innings.

Warner's triumphant return home has widened the gap between his Test record in Australia compared to overseas. At the time he brought up his triple hundred, Warner's home Test average was 65.84 compared to 34.50 away and 17 of his 23 Test hundreds have come in Australia. 

Former teammate Ricky Ponting told cricket.com.au on Friday that Warner should still be remembered as an all-time great of Australian cricket, despite the discrepancy in his home and away records.

And he predicted the 33-year-old still had plenty more years of Test cricket left in him.

"Statistically, he's better than most in Australia and that puts him ahead of some others," Ponting said. "But he's not quite as good in other areas.

“He's got a long way to go yet, it doesn't look like he's going anywhere soon as far as Test cricket is concerned, certainly the way he's playing now. If he plays for another couple of years, he might end up with 30 hundreds.

“And if he does, he will be remembered as an all-time great, even if he doesn't make many of them overseas.”

Highest Test scores for Australia

380 – Matthew Hayden v Zimbabwe, Perth, 2003

335no – David Warner v Pakistan, Adelaide, 2019

334no – Mark Taylor v Pakistan, Peshawar, 1998

334 – Don Bradman v England, Leeds, 1930

329no – Michael Clarke v India, Sydney, 2012

311 – Bob Simpson v England, Manchester, 1964 

307 – Bob Cowper v England, Melbourne, 1966

304 – Don Bradman v England, Leeds, 1934 

Domain Test Series v Pakistan

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Pakistan squad: Azhar Ali (c), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Snr, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah.

First Test: Australia won by an innings and five runs.

Second Test: November 29 – December 3, Adelaide (d/n) (Seven, Fox & Kayo)