Labuschagne joins elite company in record books as Australia declares
Marnus Labuschagne crunched an unbeaten 104 off 110 balls on the fourth morning to go with his first-innings 204, before Pat Cummins decided his bowlers had had enough rest and declared at lunch on 2-182. Labuschagne becomes only the eighth player to score 200 runs followed by another 100 in the same Test match.
He now sits with Doug Walters, Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara, Sunil Gavaskar, Graeme Gooch, Greg Chappell, and Lawrence Rowe to have done the same.
Australia have set the West Indies 498 for victory with five sessions remaining in the first Test at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
A frustrated David Warner has missed an opportunity to keep the doubters at bay, out for 48.
It means West Indies need to put on the greatest-ever final-innings chase to go 1-0 up in the two-Test Frank Worrell Trophy series, with the record currently standing at 418.
But realistically, both teams have already accepted that only Australia can win the match, with the tourists set to try and hold on for some 150 overs in a bid to secure a draw.
The only disappointed Australian of the morning was Warner.
Looking in good touch as Australia asserted their authority, Warner was caught at bat pad off Roston Chase midway through the session.
Without a Test century since January 2020, 36-year-old Warner has outlined his plans to continue playing red-ball cricket until next year’s Ashes.
But he admitted before the start of the Frank Worrell Trophy that he needed runs to take the pressure off, after averaging 28.45 in Tests across the past two years.
The left-hander hit five boundaries in his 48 as he cut and cover-drove powerfully, before he flung his head in the air and trod off when he inside-edged offspinner Chase to the man in close.
At the other end, Labuschagne became only the eighth player in Test history to score a double century and another ton in the same match.
Streaky again at times, Labuschagne was at the centre of the most dramatic over of the morning after top-edging Alzarri Joseph for six.
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Caught at slip after again edging a pull shot onto his helmet next ball, the Queenslander was recalled when the third umpire ruled Joseph had overstepped.
Labuschagne was then the subject of a concussion check, before being cleared to continue batting.
He brought up his 50 in glorious fashion, with two straight drives off Jayden Seales before going on to hit Chase back over his head for six.
As the West Indies slowed the game to a snail’s pace, the right-hander accelerated to go from 50 to 104no in 40 balls before the declaration.
Steve Smith finished 20no to go with his first-innings double, and was also put in charge of the Australian side after Cummins succumbed to a thigh injury. Scott Boland fielded for Cummins and would be the frontrunner to play in Adelaide next week in the Second Test if the Austalia captain is ruled out
West Indies had started well but grew sloppy. They lost Kemar Roach to an apparent knee injury while Kyle Mayers is also unable to bowl with shoulder soreness.
PLAYERS SCORING DOUBLE CENTURY AND CENTURY IN SAME TEST MATCH
Greg Chappell (Australia) 247no and 133 v NZ at Basin Reserve, 1974
Sunil Gavaskar (India) 124 and 220 v West Indies at Queen’s Park Oval in 1971
Graham Gooch (England) 333 and 123 v India at Lord’s, 1990
Brian Lara (West Indies) 221 and 130 v Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, 2001
Lawrence Rowe (West Indies) 214 and 100no v New Zealand at Sabina Park, 1972
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) 319 and 105 v Bangladesh at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, 2014
Doug Walters (Australia) 242 and 103 v West Indies at SCG, 1969
Marnus Labuschagne (Australia) 204 and 104no v West Indies at Perth Stadium, 2022
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