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Veteran Australian opener David Warner struck a superb double-hundred in his 100th Test on Day 2 of the Boxing Day encounter against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Tuesday, December 27. Following the extraordinary performance, the 36-year-old joined an elite list of batters to register three figures in their 100th Test.
After bowling out South Africa for 189 on the opening day of the second Test, Australia strengthened their position on Day 2, going to stumps at 386/3. Warner eased to 100 off 144 balls and carried on to score 200 off 254 balls, after which he retired due to cramps. The left-handed batter hit 16 fours and two sixes in his fantastic knock.
Warner and Steve Smith (85) added 239 for the third wicket to put Australia in command after Marnus Labuschagne was run-out for 14. The partnership was broken when Smith was dismissed by South African pacer Anrich Nortje.
In the wake of Warner registering a three-figure score in his 100th Test, we look at players who achieved the rare feat before him.
#1 Colin Cowdrey - England
England's Colin Cowdrey was the first batter to notch up a hundred in his 100th Test match. He is also the first player to play 100 Test matches for his country.
Captaining the team, he scored 104 off 247 balls in the first innings of the third Test against Australia in Birmingham in July 1968.
England batted first after winning the toss and Cowdrey top-scored the team as the hosts posted 409. He struck 15 fours during his 244-minute stay at the crease.
Australia were bowled out for 222 in response but hung on to draw the Test.
#2 Javed Miandad - Pakistan
Pakistan legend Javed Miandad was the second batter to score a hundred in his 100th Test match. He hit 145 off 289 balls in Lahore in December 1989 in the third Test of the four-match series against India.
After India posted 509 on the board in their first innings courtesy of Sanjay Manjrekar’s 218, Pakistan needed to respond well. Miandad rose to the challenge, smashing 10 fours in his 365-minute stay before being bowled by Ravi Shastri.
Shoaib Mohammad hit 203*, while Aamer Malik scored 113 as Pakistan replied with 699/5 to draw the Test.
#3 Gordon Greenidge - West Indies
Former West Indies opener Gordon Greenidge struck a well-compiled ton in his 100th Test, which came against England at St John's in April 1990. After Ian Bishop’s five-fer held the visitors to 260 in the first innings of the fifth Test, Greenidge played a special knock in his 100th Test.
The legendary batter scored 149 off 207 balls, hitting 18 fours and three sixes. He occupied the crease for 380 minutes before his innings ended via a run-out.
Greenidge and his longtime opener partner Desmond Haynes (167) added 298 runs for the opening wicket. The Windies went on to win the Test by an innings and 32 runs.
#4 Alec Stewart - England
Former England captain Alec Stewart also notched up three figures in his 100th Test match at Old Trafford in Manchester in August 2000.
In the third Test of the five-match series against West Indies, Stewart struck 105 off 153 balls in England’s first innings, responding to the visitors' total of 157.
The keeper-batter’s aggressive knock featured 13 fours and lasted 186 minutes as England put up 303 to take a healthy first-innings lead.
A second-innings hundred from Brian Lara (112), however, ensured that West Indies drew the Test.
#5 Inzamam-ul-Haq - Pakistan
Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq struck a magnificent hundred in his 100th Test match, which came against India in Bengaluru in March 2005. Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first in the third and final Test match of the series.
Leading the team, Inzamam scored a terrific 184 off 264 balls, smashing 25 fours. He looked set to become the first batter to score a double hundred in his 100th Test. However, it wasn’t to be as he was trapped lbw by Lakshmipathy Balaji.
Inzamam and Younis Khan (267) featured in a mammoth 324-run stand for the third wicket. Pakistan put up 570 on the board in their first innings and went on to win the Test by 168 runs, drawing the three-match series 1-1.
#6 Ricky Ponting - Australia
Ricky Ponting was the first Australian to score a hundred in his 100th Test. He went on to become the only player to date to smack tons in both innings of his 100th Test match. Ponting achieved the feat in Sydney in the third Test of the three-match series against South Africa in January 2006.
Batting first, South Africa declared their first innings at 451/9. Australia responded with 359 as Ponting hammered 120 off 174 balls, hitting 12 fours and a six.
Set to chase a challenging target of 287 in the fourth innings, Ponting again led from the front. This time, he clobbered an unbeaten 143 off 159 balls as Australia romped home to victory by eight wickets.
#7 Graeme Smith - South Africa
Former South African captain Graeme Smith scored a typically gritty century in his 100th Test match against England at The Oval in July 2012. The hosts put up a competitive 385 in their first innings after winning the toss and batting first.
In response, Smith scored 131 off 273 balls with the aid of 20 fours. His fine innings ended when he was bowled by England pacer Tim Bresnan. Smith’s hundred was overshadowed by Hashim Amla, who played a marathon knock and returned unbeaten on 311.
Amla and Smith added 259 runs for the second wicket. Jacques Kallis also contributed 182* as the Proteas declared on 637/2 and registered a comprehensive win by an innings and 12 runs.
#8 Hashim Amla - South Africa
Amla himself scored a century in his 100th Test, which he played against Sri Lanka in Johannesburg in January 2017. South Africa won the toss and batted first in the third Test of the three-match series. Amla scored a patient 134 off 265 balls. He hit 16 fours before being caught behind off Nuwan Pradeep's bowling.
Amla and JP Duminy (155) added 292 runs for the third wicket, a partnership which ended when the latter edged Lahiru Kumara to slip.
The Proteas put up 426 runs in their first innings and went on to register victory by an innings and 118 runs.
With the triumph in Johannesburg, the hosts clinched the three-match series by a 3-0 margin.
#9 Joe Root - England
Before Warner, former England captain Joe Root was the last batter to notch up a century in his 100th Test.
He went on to become the first batter to smack a double ton in his 100th Test match, a feat matched by Warner on Tuesday at the MCG.
Leading England, Root smashed 218 off 377 deliveries in Chennai in February 2021 in the first Test of the four-match series against India. England batted first after winning the toss and Root dominated the Indian bowling, striking 19 fours and two sixes.
The visitors posted an imposing 578 in their first innings and went on to win the Test by 227 runs.
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