Record Warner-Head stand powers Aus to 369-7
David Warner blasted a career-best 179 and dominated Australia's highest one-day partnership with fellow centurion Travis Head to power the hosts to 369 for seven in the fifth and final match against Pakistan on Thursday.
Dropped on zero and 130, Warner made Pakistan pay for their poor catching by belting 19 fours and five sixes in his 128-ball assault at the Adelaide Oval, where the hosts will look to wrap up the series by a 4-1 margin.
The in-form 30-year-old set the tempo in the record 284-run stand with stop-gap opening partner Head, who went on to make 128, his maiden one-day century.
The previous Australia record was the 260 Warner put on with Steve Smith for the second wicket in a 2015 World Cup match against minnows Afghanistan.
After Australia elected to bat, Warner could have been dismissed from the first ball of the match but an airborne Azhar Ali spilled the edge at second slip off Mohammad Amir.
Some 32 overs later, Amir was the culprit as he floored a simple chance after Warner had gone after Hasan Ali, with the clanger leaving Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur shaking his head in dismay in the dressing room.
Warner went into the match with five centuries in his last 10 one-day innings and the diminutive left-hander brought up his sixth of the season in just 78 balls.
Having bettered his previous career-best of 178, made in that match against Afghanistan, Warner was in sight of the 200-mark when he started cramping.
The opener was eventually caught at point off Junaid Khan who dismissed home captain Smith in the same over.
Head, who was content to play second fiddle to Warner, hit three sixes in his 137-ball knock and was one of five Australia wickets to fall in the final six overs of their innings.
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