Australia vs. India 2014, 1st Test, Day 1: Highlights, Scorecard, Report

Australia galloped to 354-6 at stumps on Day 1 of the first Test against India in Adelaide, on a day where cricket remembered Phillip Hughes, the batsman who had died on the eve of the series.

The hosts owed their fast start to a typically belligerent century from David Warner, who crunched 19 fours in his 163-ball 145.

There were also half-centuries for Steve Smith (72 not out) and Michael Clarke (60)—but the latter was forced to retire hurt with a back problem to alter the dynamic of the Test.

Had it not been for that blow, Australia's position might have been even stronger still.

Batsman	Dismissal	Bowler	Runs	Mins	Balls
Rogers	c Dhawan	b I Sharma	9	40	22
Warner	c I Sharma	b K Sharma	145	253	163
Watson	c Dhawan	b Aaron	14	52	33
Clarke	retd hurt		60	219	84
Smith	not out		72	172	130
M Marsh	c Kohli	b Aaron	41	104	87
Lyon		b Shami	3	13	14
Haddin	c Saha	b Shami	0	6	5
Extras	2nb 4w 0b 4lb	10
Total	for 6 (89.2 ovs)	354
Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Shami	17.2	1	83	2
Aaron	17.0	1	95	2
I Sharma	20.0	4	56	1
K Sharma	23.0	1	89	1
Vijay	12.0	3	27	0

The match began with 63 seconds of applause for Hughes, who died after being hit with a bouncer almost two weeks ago while 63 not out. 

Scott Barbour/Getty Images

It was poignant that away from the game Sean Abbott, who had bowled the fateful ball, returned to cricket on the same day. Representing New South Wales, he picked up a couple of wickets and bowled a bouncer in his first over, per the BBC report.

Once the action started, the match played out at the rate many predicted, with Warner tearing into the India seamers on a benign Adelaide pitch. Mohandas Menon provided Warner's stats, dating back to February 2014:

"

David Warner Tests since Feb 2014 12, 115 in SAf 70, 66 in SAf 135, 145 in SAf 133, 29 v Pak (UAE) 19, 58 v Pak 100* v Ind (Aus) #AusvInd

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) December 9, 2014"

India, whose captain MS Dhoni had not returned to fitness in time for selection, kept themselves in the contest with early wickets from Chris Rogers for nine and Shane Watson for 14.

But with Clarke settling into the middle with Warner, a score of 113-2 at lunch looked imposing.

That only grew after the interval with Warner bringing up three figures in just 106 deliveries, while Clarke was busy too, easing to his own half-ton. 

As the skipper tried to move out of the way of a short delivery as tea approached, he injured his lower back and was forced to retire hurt.

Smith picked up where Clarke left off, but when Warner fell after tea, the impetus faded from the innings. Mitchell Marsh compiled 41, but it was at a considerably slower rate than those before him.

And when India took the second new ball, they made inroads. Marsh was beaten by bounce to find the man at gully off the bowling of Varun Aaron, while nightwatchman Nathan Lyon was bowled and Brad Haddin caught behind to tidy up what had been an otherwise expensive and fruitless day for Mohammed Shami.

OptaJim provided a comparison of the average first-innings score over the past 10 years, compared to what has already been achieved in nine of the 18 first innings: 

With Smith unbeaten and some fight in the Australian tail, the job is far from done for India, though many will be watching to see what role—if any—Clarke will be able to play in the innings and the rest of the Test.