Warner limps off retired hurt after hurting his leg during double-century celebrations
Melbourne (AP): Facing pressure to retain his place in Australia's team, David Warner defied his critics and heatwave conditions with a spectacular return to form, scoring a memorable 200 in his 100th test.
Leading the three-match series one-nil, Australia had resumed at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday at 45-1 in sunny conditions in reply to South Africa's lacklustre first-innings total of 189.
By stumps, Australia was 386-3, an overall lead of 197, with Alex Carey not out on nine and Travis Head unbeaten on 48.
While Australia is in a strong position, two of the home side's pace bowlers, Mitchell Starc and first-innings hero Cameron Green, are nursing finger injuries ahead of South Africa's second innings.
Steve Smith (85) and Warner (200 retired hurt) shared an entertaining third-wicket partnership of 239 runs, as Australia took control of the match in stifling conditions. Smith's exit at 314-3 was followed by Warner's dramatic departure 15 runs later, retired hurt due to cramp, with the crowd of 42,614 on their feet.
England's Joe Root is the only other player in test history to score a double century in his 100th test.
"It was an amazing knock and nice to be up the other end for a large chunk of it," Smith said.
"The more he started to cramp, the more shots he started to play.
"It was energy-sapping. It was a tough day in terms of the heat. It was a pretty strange finish to the day. Boys were cramping left, right and centre."
Ever the showman, Warner tried to shrug off leg cramps, leaping in the air to celebrate his 200, before immediately buckling at the knees.
Unable to continue after crunching 16 fours and two sixes in his 254-ball knock in 99-degree Fahrenheit heat, Warner limped off with medical staff assisting him. The 36-year-old opener took the last few steps unassisted before crashing to the turf as soon as he crossed the boundary rope, looking elated and exhausted.
Asked if Warner should play on at test level, Smith said: "I don't see any reason why he can't continue playing."
The feisty left-hander scored his 25th test century and first since January 2020 off 144 deliveries, pulling a short ball to the leg-side boundary before launching into extravagant celebrations in the post-lunch session Tuesday.
Warner leapt into the air, waved his bat and blew a kiss to wife Candice in the crowd.
By tea, Australia held a 42-run advantage at 231-2.
Anrich Nortje finally ended the third-wicket partnership by removing Smith caught at gully at 315-3. The big fast bowler had narrowly escaped serious injury earlier in the day when an overhead "Spidercam" camera whizzed past and collided with his left shoulder and elbow, knocking the fielder to the turf in a bizarre incident.
"I didn't know what hit me," Nortje said.
"I don't think it should be travelling at head height.
"The elbow's a bit sore, but otherwise it seems to be okay. I'll just monitor it and see how it goes with the doc."
Green was sent for a scan after retiring hurt for six at 363-3. The right-hander was struck by Nortje on the index finger of his bowling hand.
South Africa's bowling attack was also unable to complete the day as a unit, with pace bowler Lungi Ngidi leaving the field after breaking down with cramp following the first delivery of his 16th over.
Earlier, Warner was involved in a mix-up with Marnus Labuschagne who was run out for 14 at 75-2, two deliveries after Nortje had struck Warner on the helmet.
Smith and Warner guided Australia to lunch at 136-2, with Warner on 86.
Warner's day of celebration also included overtaking Justin Langer (7,696) and Mark Waugh (8,029) Tuesday to become Australia's seventh-highest test scorer.
Invited to bat first on Monday, the highlight of South Africa's 189 was a 112-run stand between Kyle Verreynne (52) and tailender Marco Jansen (59) for the sixth wicket. Australia's all-rounder Green claimed a career-best 5-27.
Nortje said South Africa was aware that Australia may have to use "maybe a back-up bowler" in its second innings if Green and Starc were unable to bowl.
"That's going to be a crucial stage for us," Nortje said.
"Hopefully we can have a lot of batters in hand and work through the difficult stages with our top order and then try and cash in a little bit later on."
A double century for David Warner!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2022
But his #OhWhatAFeeling jump comes at a cost! 😬#AUSvSA | @Toyota_Aus pic.twitter.com/RqJLcQpWHa
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Explosive device kills 13, injures 38 on bus in southwestern Colombia as violence persists
Bogota (Colombia) (PTI): An explosive device killed 13 people travelling on a bus in southwestern Colombia on Saturday, an attack the country's army chief described as a “terrorist act" that also left at least 38 injured as violence linked to drug trafficking in the region escalates.
Octavio Guzman, the governor of the region of Cauca, said on X that the device was set off while the bus was travelling along the Panamerican Highway in the municipality of Cajibio. Five children were among the injured, Cauca Health Secretary Carolina Camargo told Noticias Caracol, a TV news program.
Gen. Hugo Lopez, commander of Colombia's Armed Forces, told a news conference that it was a “terrorist act" and blamed the network of a man known as “Ivan Mordisco” — one of Colombia's most wanted figures — and the Jaime Martínez faction. Both are dissidents of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia that operate in the region.
Neither Ivan Mordisco nor the Jaime Martínez faction abide by the peace agreement signed with the state in 2016.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the attack on X.
“Those who carried out the attack and killed seven civilians — and wounded 17 others — in Cajibío — many of them Indigenous people — are terrorists, fascists, and drug traffickers,” he wrote.
The attack is the latest in a spate of explosions that have attempted to target public infrastructure. At least 26 incidents have taken place in the past two days in southwestern Colombia, which Lopez said have only affected civilians.
They included a shooting at a police station in the rural area of Jamundi, and an attack on a Civil Aviation radar facility in El Tambo, where authorities took down three explosives-laden drones earlier on Saturday. No one was hurt.
On Friday, two vehicles rigged with explosives were detonated near military units in Cali and Palmira, causing material damage.
The escalation of violence in that region — a territory contested by illegal armed groups linked to drug trafficking — prompted the mobilisation of high-ranking officials on Saturday. Led by Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez, the delegation that includes regional governors and local authorities, was meeting in Palmira when the deadly explosion occurred.
“These criminals seek to instil fear, but we will respond with firmness,” Sanchez said on X.
Meanwhile, Francisca Toro, governor of Valle del Cauca, has called upon the national government to provide “immediate support.” In a message on X, Toro called for a reinforcement of public security forces, enhanced intelligence operations and “decisive actions” against crime in the face of a “terrorist-level escalation.”
According to authorities, Cauca and Valle del Cauca serve as a critical hub for illicit activities of illegal armed groups vying for control over sea and river access routes leading to the port of Buenaventura — a key transit point used to traffic drugs to Central America and Europe.
The government has also offered a reward of more than 1 million dollars for information leading to the capture of “Marlon,” who is identified as the leader of the region's dissident group. On Friday, local authorities offered more than USD 14,000 for information leading to the identification and location of those behind the attacks in Cali and Palmira.
