ADELAIDE: Run system Marnus Labuschagne belted a 3rd successive Take a look at century and Travis Head additionally made a ton Thursday as Australia seized regulate on day probably the most pink-ball 2d Take a look at towards an injury-hit West Indies. Constant quantity 3 Labuschagne smacked 204 then 104 no longer out on the first Take a look at in Perth to overhaul England’s Joe Root this week as the sector’s top-ranked Take a look at batsman.
And he carried that shape to Adelaide with a affected person unbeaten 120 to once more torment the Caribbean workforce, because the hosts collected 330-3 by way of stumps. The chanceless Head used to be no longer out 114, relieved at changing to a few figures after he used to be out for 99 within the first Take a look at. The guests, who’re lacking 3 first-choice bowlers, loved some good fortune on a flat monitor that introduced little for the quick bowlers, doing away with David Warner (21), Usman Khawaja (62), and captain Steve Smith for a duck. Khawaja surpassed 1,000 Take a look at runs for the 12 months in his knock, turning into simplest the 3rd guy in 2022 to hit the landmark after Root and fellow Englishman Jonny Bairstow, who’ve each performed extra fits.
He departed lbw to debutant Devon Thomas, who earned his first Take a look at wicket. Like Labuschagne, Smith smacked 200 in Perth however he simplest lasted 8 balls, stuck and bowled by way of Jason Holder, whilst Warner nicked Alzarri Joseph to wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva. The house facet, who’ve received each day-night Take a look at they’ve contested, together with six-from-six in Adelaide, wish to wrap up the two-match collection after successful the opener by way of 164 runs. All sides have been with out key gamers.
Australian tempo spearheads Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been dominated out, with Scott Boland and Michael Neser changing them. 3 West Indian mainstays have been additionally disregarded injured, with allrounder Kyle Mayers becoming a member of rapid bowlers Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales at the sidelines. Anderson Phillip, Marquino Mindley and Thomas began as an alternative, with the latter two on debut. However in every other setback, Mindley, who simplest arrived in Adelaide on Tuesday after a splash from Jamaica, lasted simply two overs sooner than limping off to have a scan for a hamstring downside.
Their state of affairs is so dire that former Take a look at participant Omar Phillips, who used to be enjoying membership cricket in Australia, used to be rushed to Adelaide to function an emergency fielder. On a tremendous however cool day, Smith received the toss and batted, having a look to construct a large rating. Warner to begin with bided his time, however then unleashed within the 9th over with 3 luxurious fours off Joseph. However, like within the first Take a look at, the left-hander’s need for fast runs price him. He used to be stuck in the back of by way of Da Silva after slashing at every other large Joseph supply and getting a nick.
Khawaja used to be simply stepping into his stride when Thomas pounced, with the Australian overdue to react because the ball rocketed into his pads. Smith used to be undone by way of just right reflexes from the lanky Holder, who were given down low to assemble a catch off his personal bowling. As they departed, Labuschagne remained defiant, choosing off obstacles and operating smartly between the wicket to deliver up a tenth Take a look at century, crunching a 4 during the covers off Thomas because the bowlers ran out of concepts. Head, on his house floor, used to be similarly composed in creating a 5th century, additionally changing with a boundary off Joseph. – AFP