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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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
