Joe Burns and David Warner hit hundreds as Australia dominate

It took one test for David Warner and Joe Burns to become established as Australia’s opening combination, creating a milestone with two century partnerships in the first test against New Zealand to change the complexion of the series.

Ricky Ponting and Sunil Gavaskar are the only others in the history of the sport to craft a century in each innings of a Test on three separate occasions.

New Zealand’s captain Brendon McCullum, right, talks to Trent Boult during play on day three of the first cricket test between Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, November 7, 2015.

Warner and Burns had combined to contribute 161 of Australia’s 556-4 declared in the first innings and it was the first time openers had put together partnerships in excess of 150 in both innings of a Test. “Credit to the openers for putting the runs on the board”, spinner Nathan Lyon told Channel Nine.

“We actually thought we were doing very well when we came off at the rain break, but Steve (Smith) said to us to go a bit harder”. “When you’re on top in the first innings you get to go out like today and play the way you want to play, with all the confidence in the world”.

Burns, playing in only his third Test match but his first as opener, blasted spinnerMark Craig for two sixes over long off to race from 88 to 100 in just three balls.

“You probably saw I tried to chip one out of the park first ball back, but yeah, our instructions were to try to get to 500 as fast as possible and that’s what we tried to do, and I think we’ve achieved that at the moment”.

“I was trying to move the game forward”, Warner said of his shot.

Warner sprinted to his second century of the match with 116 before he gave his wicket away with a switch hit off spinner Mark Craig.

The New Zealanders resumed at 157-5 at the start of play but while Kane Williamson’s 140 defied the Aussies, he had little support from his team-mates.

The 25-year-old notched his century off 129 deliveries after the wicket of Craig for 24, but the New Zealand innings began to fall apart as Doug Bracewell and Tim Southee departed.

Williamson stood firm while New Zealand lost 4-16 in a five-over collapse late on the second day.

The Australians earlier dismissed the Black Caps for 317 with Williamson the last man out, caught behind, giving Mitchell Starc his fourth wicket of the match.

Watling was dismissed for 32 when he was caught behind by Peter Nevill off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson to leave the tourists’ tail exposed. “We’ve got a tough challenge on our hands”.