Australia raced away to 365/3 at stumps courtesy centuries from their opening batsmen on the opening day of their third Test courtesy of David Warner and Matt Renshaw, who put in their first-century stand together. Warner started the fireworks by cracking a 78 ball ton as Pakistan bowlers looked clueless in the midst of the storm.
Renshaw proved to be the exact opposite of Warner, settling into a defensive mindset early on. He pushed in after his half-century and picked up the pace to complete his first hundred. He ensured it was a big one by going past 150 as well and remaining not out at the end of the day on 167, well set for a double hundred tomorrow.
Handscomb aided Renshaw in an unbeaten stand of 121 as Australia once again made light work of Pakistan's bowling. Wahab Riaz was Pakistan's best bowler on display, capturing the wickets of Warner and Khawaja.
Here are the talking points from the day's play at Sydney.
#5 David Warner blazes away
Warner once again showed his aggressive side with a sensational hundred in the first session of the 3rd Test at his home ground in Sydney. He became only the fifth batsman in history to complete a hundred in the first session of a Test.
Warner started off with a thick edge of Amir that raced through gully but proceeded to punish some lacklustre bowling from the Pakistanis. Imran Khan, in particular, was short and wide and Warner took full toll of his wayward bowling as he raced to his hundred in just 78 balls.
His partner, Renshaw, provided a calming influence at the other end as Australia claimed a huge advantage on Day 1. His Test record was good in 2016 but far poorer than his blazing run in ODIs. 2017, however, seems to have begun on a much more promising note.
#4 Wahab Riaz calms Pakistani nerves
With David Warner largely untroubled and racing past his hundred in just 70 odd balls, Pakistan were under severe pressure to create a breakthrough failing which Warner could have taken Australia past 400 by tea.
Riaz, however, cooled down Pakistani fans by getting one to bounce extra, that caught Warner's edge on its way to Sarfraz Ahmed. If that were not enough, he bowled a pacy spell to Khawaja that eventually accounted for him. He drove at one away from his body and edged behind for 13.
Riaz was the only bowler who could make the Australian batsmen uncomfortable on a superb batting pitch at the SCG. He ran in hard and bowled in the right areas to generate extra bounce.
#3 Matt Renshaw is here to stay
The 20-year-old Matt Renshaw had impressed with his technique and grittiness in his career thus far. He has shown his ability to occupy the crease for long periods, without needing to score boundaries.
However, something missing after 3 Tests was a big score. And today was the perfect opportunity. With Warner in terrific touch, Renshaw could calmly settle down at the other end. He kerbed hi instinct to drive early on, getting all his fours till he crossed his half-century on the leg-side.
His first boundary on the off-side came in the 45th over when he drove Imran Khan through covers. He eventually reached his maiden Test hundred off 201 balls, went on to a scale the 150 mark and proved that Australia's batting cupboard is far from empty.
#2 Yasir Shah ditches leg side fields but keeps going for runs
The Sydney pitch was expected to aid Pakistan who had Yasir Shah up their sleeve. However, the leggie has been hogging headlines ever since the MCG Test for the bizarre fields to which he was bowling and his leakage of runs.
He admitted over the week that the leg side fields were his fault and not Misbah-ul-Haq's and that he needed to rein in more control. However, he was equally woeful today, as Warner and Renshaw played him around with ease, with the latter sweeping him confidently quite a few times.
Yasir did dismiss the dangerous Steven Smith, but his figures failed to flatter. His task was also cut out against the left-heavy top order of Australia. He finished day 1 at an economy exceeding four and will hope to gain more control later in the game.
#1 Teams make key personnel changes
With the SCG expected to take turn, Australia included Steven O'Keefe in place of Jackson Bird, who was one of their best bowlers in MCG. The move was probably fueled from yet another swap at no.6, where Hilton Cartwright debuted in place of Nic Maddinson.
Cartwright is a medium pace bowler and is expected to fill in as the third seamer with two spinners in Lyon and O'Keefe. The twin spin option also gives them a heads up ahead of a tough Indian tour later this year.
Pakistan also made changes, handing over a debut to the aggressive Sharjeel Khan in place of Sami Aslam, who has been getting starts and then wasting them. Imran Khan also came in place of Sohail Khan but was wayward and loose on Day 1.
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