And again New Zealand was left to rue a lost opportunity, not for the first time in this series, in which it was chasing its first win.
On 18, Warner hooked at fast bowler Lockie Ferguson and top-edged the ball high to backward square leg where Henry Nicholls sprinted to his left, dived but could not hold a hard chance.
New Zealand paid a hefty price as Warner completed his second century in two innings, 11th of his career and first on the MCG, making 156 before being run out off the final ball of the innings.
Once he settled in on a holding pitch, New Zealand had no answer. It is his seventh century this year, equalling India’s Sourav Ganguly’s mark and two behind Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 1998.
This time, after New Zealand began strongly to have Australia 11 for two, Warner played the saviour.
He went to his century in 95 balls, and raced through his next 56 runs in 33 balls.
He slammed sixes in consecutive deliveries from medium pacer Colin Munro, shared significant stands of 105 in 122 balls with Travis Head for the fifth wicket, 48 in 37 balls with Matt Wade for the sixth and finally 36 in 25 deliveries with James Faulkner.
Trent Boult gave New Zealand early impetus after Australia won the toss.
He had Aaron Finch miscue a drive to be caught at square leg and then captured the prize scalp of Steve Smith, when the Australian skipper pushed early at a ball from Boult and was caught in the same position by the same fielder, Nicholls, for a duck.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson employed some interesting fields and the bowlers stuck to their work for a good part of the innings.
Medium pacer Colin de Grandhomme got a double breakthrough in one over, having George Bailey out to a soft shot, then Mitchell Marsh unluckily played a ball on to his stumps, off his foot, three balls later.
But Warner and Head ensured there would be no capitulation and Australia finished up setting New Zealand what could be a challenging target on a pitch which required care from the batsmen.
Warner struck 13 fours and four sixes in his 128-ball special.
Boult finished with three for 49, spinner Mitchell Santner nabbed two for 43 from his nine overs, and de Grandhomme, who bowled right through his 10 overs, got two for 50.
- David Leggat
