Historic Labuschagne performance propels Australia to 1-0 series lead over West Indies

Marnus Labuschagne backed up a first innings double-century with an unbeaten 104 in the second innings to earn Player of the Match honours as Australia ran out 164-run victors over the West Indies in Perth yesterday.

The Australians won the toss and elected to bat first but the West Indies drew first blood dismissing veteran opener David Warner for just five.

From there out, it was all Australia in the opening innings.

Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne poured on a 142-run partnership before Labuschagne and Steve Smith continued on after Khawaja was caught behind off the bowling of Kyle Mayers for 65.

Labuschagne and Smith both cruised towards triple-figures and beyond with the pair becoming the first teammates to score double-centuries in the same innings since Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke in Adelaide in 2012.

Labuschagne was eventually dismissed by West Indies’ skipper Kraigg Brathwaite for 204 which brought Travis Head to crease.

Head motored along at more than a run-a-ball before he was bowled by Brathwaite on 99, prompting an Australian declaration at 4-for-598 after 152.4 overs.

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Smith finished on an unbeaten 200 – his first double-ton since his memorable 2019 Ashes.

The West Indies, however, got off to a strong start of their own with openers Brathwaite and debutant Tagenarine Chanderpaul guiding the visitors to 0-for-74 at the end of Day 2.

Chanderpaul brought up a half-century in the opening innings of his Test career before edging one off the bowling off Josh Hazlewood for 51.

Brathwaite brought up his fifty before Nkrumah Bonner retired hurt due to concussion allowing Shamarh Brooks to be elevated into the playing XI.

Skipper Pat Cummins knocked Brathwaite over for 64 – the 200th wicket of his Test career – whilst Mayers lasted just eight balls before being bowled by Mitchell Starc.

Nathan Lyon claimed the wicket of Jason Holder for 27 before Jermaine Blackwood was dismissed LBW by Starc for 36.

Brooks put together a nice 33-run cameo before Cameron Green dismissed him six overs after da Silva was bowled for Starc for nought.

Cummins sent Roston Chase and Alzarri Joseph back to the pavilion and Lyon finished the innings with the wicket of Kemar Roach.

Starc and Cummins claimed three whilst Lyon had two; ahead by 315 runs, Australia characteristically elected not to enforce the follow-on.

Roach dismissed Khawaja early on bringing Labuschagne back to the crease as Warner reached 48 before Chase got him out as Labuschagne motored along at nearly a run-a-ball.

Labuschagne managed his ninth Test hundred and became the eighth player in Test history to hit a double-century and a century in the same match.

The Australians declared at 2-for-182 setting the West Indies a target of 498 for victory with five sessions at their disposal.

With Cummins unable to bowl due a quad complaint, the hosts had to get a little creative.

Openers Brathwaite and Chanderpaul again got the visitors off to a terrific start as their partnership reached 100 with both men showing commendable resolve against a powerful Australian attack.

Starc finally bowled Chanderpaul for 45 with Brooks adding just 11 before Lyon struck.

Brathwaite reached his 11th Test century and surpassed 5,000 career Test runs in the process as the West Indies looked in nice stead heading towards stumps.

Late in the day, however, Blackwood popped a Lyon delivery up to Labuschagne at bat-pad as the West Indies lost their third wicket.

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Mayers saw out the remainder of the day but was dismissed cheaply on the morning of Day 5.

Lyon finally found the wicket of Brathwaite for 110 before Head dismissed a patient Holder for 3 off 35.

Number seven da Silva again failed to fire with Hazlewood sending him back to the pavilion for 12 before Chase and Joseph put together a brave 82-run stand for the eighth wicket.

Amid somewhat of a tail-end scare, Head bowled Joseph for 43 before Chase managed the 10th Test fifty of his career.

Lyon bowled Roach for a golden-duck to finish 6-for-128 as Australia kicked off their summer of Test cricket with a win.

The series now shifts to a day-night Test in Adelaide beginning on Thursday with the Australians looking for a 2-0 clean sweep before facing South Africa.