David Warner smashed his 22nd one-day international hundred during Australia’s ICC Cricket World Cup clash against the Netherlands on Wednesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
The south-paw reached the three-figure mark in 92 balls and with the help of 10 fours and three sixes. Warner, in fact, spent a lot of time in the nineties, knocking the ball around for about seven overs.
Warner has now hit back-to-back centuries after he smashed a 124-ball 163 in Australia’s previous outing in the ODI World Cup against Pakistan. Warner also became the fourth Australian to score consecutive hundreds in World Cups, after Mark Waugh (1996), Ricky Ponting (2003-07) and Matthew Hayden (2007).
Warner hit his fifth century in World Cups, also surpassed the likes of Ricky Ponting (5) and Kumar Sangakkara (5) on the list of most hundreds in World Cups to go level with Sachin Tendulkar and is behind only Rohit Sharma.
He was dismissed for 104 by Logan van Beek.
ICC World Cup: Schedule | Results | Points Table | Most Runs | Most Wickets
Marnus Labuschagne also reached his half-century, his ninth in ODIs and first in World Cups, off just 42. He raced to 62 but was caught at long on by the the next five balls.
Steve Smith hit a sizzling half-century before being dimissed for 71 off 78 balls. Aryan Dutt of the Netherlands got the prized scalp with Steve Smith ending up hitting it straight to Roelof van der Merwe at backward point. Warner and Smith had shared a 132-run partnership for the second wicket.
Five-time winners Australia had lost Mitchell Marsh, for a paltry nine runs, in the fourth over after they elected to bat first.
Australia vs Netherlands – Live
The left-handed Warner, who clubbed 163 last time out against Pakistan, and Smith hit back and soon took control over a Dutch side who had stunned South Africa earlier in the tournament. Warner hit a six and four to reach his fifty in 40 balls while Smith raised his first fifty of this World Cup in 53 balls.
Australia sits in fourth place in the standings with a 2-2 record, including a win last Friday over Pakistan. Australia and Pakistan are level on points but the Australians have a better net run- rate and have played one game fewer.
The Dutch side is 1-3, its only win coming in a huge upset victory over South Africa last week.
It is seventh in the standings, equal on two points with Sri Lanka, defending champion England and Bangladesh but ahead on net run rate.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Comments
0 comment