Australia v India: David Warner century 'for Phillip Hughes'
- Published
First Test, Adelaide (day one): |
Australia 354-6 v India |
David Warner scored a century for Australia on the opening day of the first Test against India and dedicated it to fellow batsman Phillip Hughes.
Hughes, 25, died after being struck on the neck by a ball two weeks ago.
Opener Warner, who was playing in that domestic match, hit 145 to help Australia take control at Adelaide as they closed on 354-6.
"I knew the little man up there was with me at the other end and it all fell into place," he said.
"When I scored my first hundred,, external he was at the other end and I dedicate that hundred to him today.
"It's been an emotional week for all of us and I know he'll be proud of us."
Hughes was 63 not out when was struck on the neck by a bouncer as he played for South Australia against New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield game.
Before Tuesday's game began at the Adelaide Oval, players, fans and officials stood for 63 seconds of applause to mark his life.
The match had originally been scheduled for Brisbane but was first delayed and then switched to Adelaide to give players time to mourn Hughes.
The left-hander was symbolically named as "13th man" for the Test against India.
As a further tribute to Hughes, the Australian players wore black armbands and the player's Test cap number - 408 - on their shirts.
A large 408 was also painted on the playing surface at the Oval, while a video tribute to Hughes, narrated by veteran broadcaster and former Australia captain Richie Benaud, was played.
Warner, who was playing for New South Wales against Hughes's South Australia on 25 November, added: "Being there on the day that it happened, it was quite tough, the memories are still stuck in my head.
"It was quite tough early on there, with the 63-second applause and getting through that national anthem, that was probably what set me off.
"It's going to be a special number for all of us for a long time."
Australia's Michael Clarke had looked to be on his way to that number when he retired hurt.
Clarke, 33, was on 60 when he injured his back avoiding a short ball just before tea.
The captain, who gave a moving eulogy for Hughes at the batsman's funeral last week, was only playing after passing a fitness test on a third hamstring strain in three months.
After injuring his back, Clarke, who has a history of back problems but has missed only one of Australia's 40 Tests since he took over the captaincy, left the ground for treatment.
Meanwhile, pace bowler Sean Abbott, who delivered the bouncer that led to the death of Hughes, returned to action for New South Wales.
The 22-year-old was selected to face Queensland in a four-day Sheffield Shield match at Sydney Cricket Ground, the same venue where Hughes was fatally injured.
Abbott bowled a bouncer in his first over and took two wickets.
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