Taylor defends Warner bettering Bradman's score

Mark Taylor has defended David Warner's decision to go past the iconic 334 mark by just one run, confirming he, too, attempted to better Don Bradman's record in 1998.

Warner pulled off the second-highest Test score in history by an Australian on Saturday, finishing on 335 not out against Pakistan when captain Tim Paine declared at 3-589.

While he was given a standing ovation as he left the ground, some on social media questioned him taking a single on the last ball before Australia's declaration.

Taylor made the call to declare on 334 against Pakistan in 1998 at the end of a day's play, equalling Bradman's long-standing highest score.

But the former captain said that was only because of bad luck and he had every intention of trying to beat what was then a record before Matthew Hayden surpassed them both with 380 in 2003.

"Records are meant to be broken," Taylor said in Macquarie Radio commentary.

"I got to 334 with two balls to go on the second night of that game. And I tried to hit them as David did.

"I tried to hit them for runs and they both were fielded. One was really well fielded by Ijaz Ahmed, who stopped me from going past Bradman's score.

"And if it did go past him, I would have taken the runs.

"And I would have ended up on 335 because the game is not about individual records. The game is about winnings and losing."

Taylor said he had considered going on to bat into day three for Australia in that 1998 Test and it was only then that staying level with Bradman entered his mind.

"I contemplated because I thought maybe going out to bat for 20 minutes on the third day would put them out in the field again," Taylor said.

"But then I did think if I ended up 341 not out or 343, I was worried people would assume I only went out there to go past Bradman's score."

Saturday was a bad day for Bradman's records.

Steve Smith went past him into 11th in the most runs for Australia, going beyond the 6996 runs he hit in his career.

Smith has played 51 more innings to do so.

Warner's score also surpassed Bradman's record for the highest Test score at the Adelaide Oval, which had stood at 299 not out since 1932.

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)