Labuschagne joins cricket royalty with second innings ton

Australian test star Marnus Labuschagne has backed up his incredible first innings 204 with an almost run-a-ball 104* to put the home nation in the box seat for the first test against the West Indies in Perth.

Labuschagne notched up his 9th test hundred, to go with his second double ton, before lunch on Saturday.

With Steve Smith, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja in support, Australia piled on a whopping 598 first innings runs before declaring and bowling the West Indies out for 283.

Australia took to the crease with bat in hand again, declaring with a 497 run lead over the visitors.

Saturday was Labuschagne’s maiden second innings hundred, surpassing his previous second innings high of 80 as Australia moved to bat the West Indies out of the test match before declaring.

The Australian batter joined international cricketing giants including Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara, Sunil Gavaskar, Graham Gooch, Greg Chappell and Doug Walters as players to have scored both a double ton and a century in one Test match.

“It’s always nice. It’s something I’ve never done before in Test cricket and I’m very proud,” said Labuschagne.

Since his test debut in 2018 against Pakistan, Labuschagne has amassed 2847 runs at an average of just over 59, putting him at 7th on the list of highest test averages of all time. He currently sits above the likes of Jacques Kallis, Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting.

Labuschagne currently sits on 733 runs for the calendar year from 14 innings at an average of 56.38. He will be looking to pass the 1000 run mark for the calendar year, for the second time in his career, having previously achieved the feat in 2019.

Labuschagne has as many as six opportunities to reach the 1000 run mark left in the year with trips to Adelaide, Brisbane and the MCG to come.

With averages of 73, 78 and 31 respectively, Labuschagne could pass the thousand run mark with ease.

Labuschagne will be looking to join fellow Australians Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Steve Smith and Michael Clarke with multiple 1000 run calendar years.

He will also join Tendulkar, Alistair Cook, Brian Lara and Kallis on the illustrious list.

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