ADELIADE — Red-hot opening batsman David Warner punished a wasteful India with his second century of the first Test Friday as Australia seized control of the match at the close of play on day four. The combative left-hander, who scored an emotional 145 in the first innings, added another 102 to help fire Australia to a 363-run lead at a sun-drenched Adelaide Oval. Steven Smith added a half-century to his own first innings ton to push the host to 290-5. He was unbeaten on 52 at stumps, with wicketkeeper Brad Haddin on 14, and Australia in position to make an early declaration on the final day. Warner gazed at the sky in tribute to batsman Phillip Hughes during his first innings knock and repeated the gesture Friday after raising his sixth hundred in his last 11 Test innings. He got himself out attempting a frivolous reverse sweep and was bowled by leg-spinner Karn Sharma as the Australians picked up the tempo in the last session. Mitchell Marsh joined in the party, smashing 24 runs, including three sixes, off one over from Sharma. But Marsh chanced his arm one time too many and was caught slogging in the deep after a cavalier 40 off 26 balls. Injured captain Michael Clarke could not repeat his first innings heroics when he scored 128 despite a painful back strain and was caught behind for seven off the bowling of Varun Aaron. Warner got a reprieve on 66 when Aaron bowled him only to be recalled when television replays showed the paceman overstepping the crease on his delivery. A match that had proceeded in good spirit suddenly became tetchy. Aaron gave Warner a big send-off after rattling his stumps and the Australian retaliated after his let-off. Shane Watson, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan all joined in, exchanging terse words before umpires Marais Erasmus and Ian Gould eventually calmed the two sides down. The umpires had to intervene again after Smith and Rohit Sharma exchanged words following a hopeful lbw appeal after tea, which also fired up India captain Virat Kohli. Earlier in the day, India was bowled out for 444, with Australia spinner Nathan Lyon finishing with 5-134. A former groundsman at Adelaide Oval, Lyon captured three early wickets as India, which resumed on 369-5, lost its last five wickets for just 45 runs. “It's pretty easy, we had big Ishant running down the middle of the wicket (in Australia's first innings),” Lyon said after Thursday's third day's play. “I'm thankful for him making some footmarks. Hopefully, he does it the whole series.” — Agencies
