Australian opener David Warner's joy of bringing up a record double hundred in his 100th Test match in the ongoing Boxing Day Test against South Africa was rather short-lived as he injured himself while celebrating his achievement. It happened on the second day of the Test match when he brought up his double hundred off 254 balls to become only the second batter after England's Joe Root to score a double century in his 100th Test match.
Ecstatic celebrations followed from the 36-year-old who ended his nearly 3 year long wait of a Test hundred. While he would have looked to continue to accumulate runs, the southpaw seemingly injured himself while pulling off his characteristic jump celebration. Much like he got to his hundred, he raised his double century with a boundary.
Warner appeared in some discomfort as he held his thigh before asking for help but the batter decided to walk back as the spectators at the MCG continued to applaud what had been a fine innings and a statement to all his critics after a horror 2022.
Australia 197 runs ahead at Stumps on Day 2
Warner's double hundred and Smith's 85 have helped Australia to a position of dominance in the second Test match after they bowled South Africa out for 189 in the first innings, with Cameron Green taking a fifer. The Warner-Smith duo added 239 runs off 337 deliveries for the third wicket as the hosts ended Day 2 at 386/3, having taken a lead of 197 runs.
Travis Head (48*) and Alex Carey (9*) remain unbeaten at the wicket at the end of Day's play on December 27 (Tuesday). Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje have picked a wicket each so far for South Africa with Nortje also managing to affect a run out of Marnus Labuschagne.