No place like home: Warner buries Ashes demons

David Warner has returned to the familiar conditions of home in hauntingly familiar style, blazing his 22nd Test century on day two of the Domain Test Series opener against Pakistan at the Gabba.

Warner, who endured a tortured Ashes campaign in which he collected just 95 runs at 9.50, had a dramatic reprieve on 56 when he edged behind from 16-year-old quick Naseem Shah, only for the third umpire to rule the delivery a no-ball.

A wait of almost two years for a Test hundred was then delayed by an extra 20 minutes when was forced to go to tea on 99; after pushing a single through point from the final ball before the interval, he appeared tempted to scamper a second run before wisely opting against chancing his arm.

He then patiently played out a total of nine dot balls after the resumption, including a maiden from Shaheen Afridi, but eventually celebrated three figures with his trademark leap, the first time it has been seen in the five-day format since the Boxing Day Test against England in 2017.

The opener was visibly emotional as he accepted the warm applause from the crowd, kissing the badge on his helmet and raising his bat to his teammates.

Warner's 18-innings stretch without a Test century is the longest of his career since a 23-innings sequence across 2012-13.

Sixteen of Warner's 22 Test hundreds have come in Australia.

It is the fourth time in Warner’s career that he has scored a Test century after being dismissed off a no ball. He also took full advantage of a front-foot reprieve against India in Adelaide six years ago, against Pakistan at the MCG in 2016 and during that Ashes hundred on Boxing Day two years ago.

The innings on Friday was Warner's fourth Test hundred at the Gabba and his second in first-class cricket at the venue already this summer. It was littered with sumptuous drives through the cover region, while he busily picked up ones and twos as he and opening partner Joe Burns ran the Pakistan fielders ragged.

The visitors initially failed to follow the Stuart Broad blueprint of attacking the left-hander from round the wicket, and that decision allowed Warner to make a solid start to his innings. When Imran Khan switched to round the wicket with the batsman on 11, he promptly cover drove him for four.

There was little respite for Pakistan from there. Warner celebrated his half-century shortly before lunch as he capitalised on some ill-disciplined bowling, and after the interval, he patiently worked the leg-spin of Yasir Shah into the gaps as three figures appeared increasingly inevitable.

There was a surprising scare for the 33-year-old when on 93, as Yasir's direct-hit throw from the outfield almost caught him narrowly short, however he was found to be safe after a lengthy third umpire review.

With 22 Test hundreds, Warner moves ahead of Neil Harvey and David Boon into outright 10th position on Australia's century list – one short of national coach Justin Langer, who was enthused by the prospect of his superstar opener returning to these shores in the build-up to this Brisbane Test.

"He loves batting in Australia … we are looking forward to him having a great summer," Langer said.

"When he simplifies the game, stays still and watches the ball, keeps his mind clear, we know there's no more destructive player in the world, probably."

Statistically at least, Pakistan are comfortably Warner's favourite Test opponent: from 10 innings he averages more than 76 and strikes at better than 85, while in his past four trips to the middle against them, he has made three hundreds and a fifty.

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: November 21-25, Gabba (Seven, Fox & Kayo)

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