Warner dominates Black Caps in Perth

Sent in to bat after skipper Steve Smith won the toss, David Warner and Joe Burns took on New Zealand’s bowlers as they had in the first test, where two opening partnerships in excess of 150 runs were the foundation stones of a 208-run victory.

It was evident from the outset that the once notoriously fast pitch was not going to live up to expectations, as Warner set the order of the day with two boundaries off the first two balls he faced.

The bowling attack – ostensibly bolstered by the inclusion of Tim Southee, who had been under an injury cloud coming into the second Test – was pummelled for 416 runs as the rising temperatures clearly took a heavy toll.

Team news: Australia’s captain Steven Smith has named an unchanged team, which means more drinks and Sheffield Shield duty for Peter Siddle while ensuring stability in the team that enjoyed a strong win over Brendon McCullum’s men in Brisbane.

Waca groundskeeper Matt Page is promising a pitch conducive to the speedsters and given New Zealand’s indifferent bowling performance in Brisbane, where they leaked 820 runs for just eight wickets, it spells trouble for the Kiwis.

“[I’m] not sure if it will quicken up tomorrow, it probably will with a bit more sunlight, but it’s a pretty nice wicket out there”. Tom Latham and Martin Guptill put on opening stands of 56 and 44 in the first Test for New Zealand.

Warner was on 199 at the start of the 80th over, and, despite everyone in trying to save the single, the 29-year-old pushed the first ball wide of mid-on to move to the landmark.

With no reviews remaining, the Black Caps were at risk of further misery.

Smith was unsure whether Hazlewood would need to be rested for the final Test of the three-match series, the inaugural day-night Test in Adelaide.

The WACA has witnessed record-setting test knocks before, with Matthew Hayden’s 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003 sitting second on the all-time list.

It was also the most runs scored by any batsman on the first day of a Test in Australia, going past Michael Clarke’s 224 against South Africa in Adelaide in 2012.

Their second review was much more marginal, with Warner given not out lbw and the replay showing fractionally less than half the ball was hitting the bails, leaving the decision as umpire’s call and the visitors without any more reviews. “But they played a few pretty special innings out there”. Doug Bracewell couldn’t quite make the catch within the playing area.

Burns, also a centurion at the Gabba, looked to be in good nick in the first hour as he hit seven fours on his way to 40. “We’ll give him every chance. But we think he’s going to do a great job”.

“If he gets his chance in Perth, great, if he misses out again, that’s the way it is at the moment”.