PERTH // Australia opener David Warner slammed the equal fourth fastest century in Test cricket on a horror opening day for India in the third Test in Perth Friday.
Warner reached his hundred off 69 balls and did it in style, clouting debutant paceman Vinay Kumar for his third six of the innings.
The prodigious hit was the second-quickest ton at Perth’s WACA Ground, behind Adam Gilchrist’s 57-ball blitz against England in 2006.
It capped a miserable day for the bedraggled tourists with Sachin Tendulkar's quest for an elusive 100th international hundred again delayed after he was dismissed for just 15.
The Indians, down 2-0 in the series and needing to win both remaining Tests to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, were routed for just 161 off 60.2 overs after being sent in to bat.
And they could not contain dynamic opener Warner, who has now scored two centuries in five Tests.
Australia raced to 149 without loss at stumps, with Warner unbeaten on 104 and Ed Cowan on 40 for Australia to trail by just 12 runs after just the first day.
Warner and Cowan scored at better than six runs an over against an impotent Indian bowling attack.
The only setback for Warner was when he was struck around the left ear by Umesh Yadav on 80, the left-hander looking groggy as play was held up for several minutes after he sought treatment from the team physio.
But when play resumed he clubbed the next two balls for four and took just seven more deliveries to sprint to his second Test ton.
Virat Kholi topscored in the Indian innings with 44, while both V.V.S. Laxman and Gautam Gambhir battled hard on a lively pitch for 31 each.
However, the Indian tail again showed little appetite for the contest as the tourists lost their last six wickets for just 30 runs.
The rejuvenated swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus continued his fine season and took his series tally to 19 wickets with four for 43, while Peter Siddle claimed three for 42.
It was another inept batting display by India's ageing top order, with Virender Sehwag out for a four-ball duck and misfiring Rahul Dravid making just nine, while Tendulkar looked in superb form but also went cheaply.
Having played two elegant straight drives in the first over he faced, Tendulkar was deceived by a delivery from recalled paceman Ryan Harris that nipped back trapping him leg before wicket.
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