India crash yet again, Warner smashes 4th fastest Test century

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On a pitch India were shot out for 161, explosive Australian opener David Warner smashed the fourth fastest Test century in an unbroken first-wicket stand of 149 on the opening day of the third Test at the WACA Ground here on Friday.

India were clearly psyched out by all the pre-match build-up around the pitch which was anything but unplayable. Virat Kohli was the top scorer with 44 while Gautam Gambhir and V.V.S.Laxman made 31s as the four-man pace attack scythed through the Indian innings.

Ben Hilfenhaus was the wrecker-in-chief with four for 43 while Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc got three and two wickets.

Australia trail by 12 runs with Warner on 104 off 80 balls while Ed Cowan was 40 at stumps.

Warner now shares the fourth spot with Shiv Chanderpaul (69) behind Jack Gregory (67), Adam Gilchrist (57) and Viv Richards (56) in the list of fastest Test century-makers in terms of balls faced.

The Australian openers made batting look easy on a track where Indians struggled. Indian batsmen have to blame themselves for their dismal performance as they fell playing poor shots.

Warner was in Twenty20 mode and his whirlwind knock meant Australia scoring at nearly 6.5 runs an over. He struck Vinay Kumar for a huge six in the debutant's first over and meted out similar treatment to Ishant Sharma, the ball landing 20 rows into the stands.

The only time Warner slowed down was when he was on 80 after being struck by a Umesh Yadav bouncer that crashed into his helmet. Medical help was rushed to check the New South Waleshman. The blow stirred Warner, who blasted Yadav for two consecutive fours and a two to get into his 90s.

Warner was merciless on Vinay Kumar and hit the Karnataka bowler for a four and a six to bring up his second century in style in the 20th over.

Cowan played the second fiddle and was happy giving the strike to Warner. Cowan was also lucky to have survived the day as he gloved one from Ishant Sharma to Mahendra Singh Dhoni but India's half-hearted appeal was turned down by umpire Kumar Dharmasena. Hotspot showed Cowan gloving it.

Earlier, Michael Clarke decision to put India in paid off as the tourists barely lasted two sessions.

The saving grace was the 68-run fifth-wicket stand between Kohli and Laxman. The duo resurrected the innings after India slumped to 63 for four. But Siddle struck in consecutive overs after lunch to trigger another batting collapse, six wickets crashing for just 30 runs.