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'Absolute joke': Aussies docked five runs in 'ridiculous' David Warner controversy

riley morgan
Sports Reporter

Umpire Aleem Dar has divided the cricket world with an unusual call to penalise David Warner in the third Test between Australia and New Zealand.

Midway through Monday’s afternoon session, Warner hit a single to mid-on and called through Marnus Labuschagne who easily made his ground.

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But Dar then proceeded to dock the Aussies five penalty runs.

The call confused the Aussies with replays showing Steve Smith and captain Tim Paine gobsmacked in the dressing room.

David Warner running across the pitch after a shot and then confronting Umpire Aleem Dar after he docked Australia five runs.
Umpire Aleem Dar docked Australia five runs for David Warner running across the pitch. (Images: Fox Sports/Getty Images)

After Warner and Labuschagne confronted the umpire, it was revealed Warner had run across the ‘danger zone’ down the middle of the pitch.

Dar had cautioned Labuschagne for running on the protected area in the 50th over of Australia's second innings during the third trans-Tasman Test.

Dar then formally penalised Warner for doing the same, with the opener seemingly objecting to the official's interpretation of the law that covers 'deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch'.

The call divided the cricket world with some slamming Dar for nitpicking, while others poked fun at Warner’s fresh ‘cheating’.

Fortunately the call shouldn’t hurt the Aussies after they declared at 2-217 with a lead of 420 runs.

Warner completes record summer

Warner earlier completed the best five-Test Australian summer by an opener as he capped his campaign with another century.

Warner reached his ton just after lunch on day four when he pushed Matt Henry through the leg-side for three off his 147th ball.

The century was the quickest of his three this summer, as the Aussies built a massive fourth-innings target for the Black Caps.

David Warner, pictured here celebrating after reaching his century against New Zealand.
David Warner celebrates after reaching his century. (Photo by JEREMY NG/AFP via Getty Images)

It helped him go past Englishman Alastair Cook's 766 runs from the 2010-11 Ashes series.

Almost half of Warner's runs came in his 335 not out against Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval, the second-highest Test score by an Australian.

He also hit 154 against Pakistan in the season opener at the Gabba, helping take his average for the Test summer to 129.66.

The left-hander's aggregate for the season across all formats is now more than 1050.

with AAP