Adelaide, Australia: Opener David Warner brought up his 10th test century in an emotional personal tribute to Phillip Hughes as Australia went to tea at 238-2 despite the loss of captain Michael Clarke to injury Tuesday on the opening day of the first test against India.
Warner, who was on the field two weeks ago when Hughes suffered a fatal injury after being hit with a short-pitched delivery, jumped into the air looked to the sky when he took a single for his 100 at Adelaide Oval.
He then hugged batting partner Clarke, who retired hurt with an apparent back injury on 60. Reports suggested Clarke had back spasms and could return later in the innings.
At tea, Warner was unbeaten on 131 with Steve Smith on 17 not out.
Warner's century came off 106 balls, including 14 fours — five from the first 10 balls he faced. He later scored another boundary with a reverse sweep shot to take him to 129.
The match began with a tribute to Hughes, who died Nov. 27 from injuries sustained from being hit by a bouncer in a domestic match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
India's two wickets came started with opener Chris Rogers, out for 9, and Shane Watson (14), both from loose shots that were caught at second slip by Shikhar Dhawan off Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron respectively.
Warner brought up his 14th test 50 off 45 balls with consecutive boundaries off Aaron in the 15th over. He hit nine boundaries in the morning session.
Warner also faced the first bouncer of the match off the first ball of the fourth over, a 145-kph (90-mph) delivery from Aaron, India's quickest bowler. Warner ducked away from the delivery without problem.
When Warner reached 63 — the same score Hughes was on when he was fatally injured, Warner looked up to the sky for the first time for the day and the crowd warmly applauded.
Virat Kohli, standing in as India captain for the injured M.S. Dhoni, said he would have batted if he won the toss.
The Adelaide match was supposed to start three days later on Friday, but was moved up after the first scheduled test at Brisbane was postponed and shifted due to Hughes' death. The Brisbane match, now the second in the series, will begin on Dec. 17.
On Tuesday, an unusual first day for the start of a test match, there were about 23,000 spectators at the 50,000-seat Adelaide Oval.
India's continued criticism of the Decision Review System meant the technology will not be used in the four-test series.
The DRS assists the on-field umpires by using ball-tracking technology, an infra-red imaging system and the use of directional microphones — a "snickometer" — to detect small sounds made as the ball hits the bat or pad. But both teams have to agree to use it.
India might have used it when it appealed loudly for a caught-behind with Clarke on 37, but television replays clearly showed the bat hit Clarke's pad and not the ball.
