Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne script history; becomes first Test pair to achieve a rare feat in 11 years
The first Test match between Australia and West Indies at the Perth Stadium has been a run-feast for the batters in first two days of the game. After winning the toss, Australia decided to bat first and used the conditions to their advantage.
With two incredible knocks, Australia declared their first innings for 598/4 in 152.4 overs. They gave the West Indies 25 overs to bat till the stumps on Day 2. And in reply, the West Indies also batted brilliantly and are at 74 without any wickets, trailing by 524 runs.
A total of 672 runs scored in first two days of the game with only four wickets fell. And it was once again the pair of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith that compiled runs for Australia.
Both batters also smashed their respective double centuries in the game. Labuschagne scored his second double century of his career and made 204 off 350 balls, with 20 fours and one six, while Smith brought up his fourth double century of his career and made an unbeaten 200 off 311 balls, including 16 fours.
With this century, Smith also equaled Don Bradman's tally of 29 Test hundreds for Australia. Notably, this is only the fifth instance in test cricket when two Australian batsmen have scored a double century in the same inning of a test match.
Rare air for these two 🥰 #AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/ICBogwROUZ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 1, 2022
It was the pair of Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke when Australia did it last time in 2012 against India. On other occasions, it was the pairs of Don Bradman and Bill Ponsford against England in 1934; Don Bradman and Sid Barnes against England in 1946; and Bill Lawry and Bob Simpson against the West Indies in 1965.
The Men in Yellow are sitting at the top of the ongoing World Test Championship table, and a win against the West Indies in this game will further secure their chances to feature in the final next year. On the other hand, Smith and Labuschagne became the 19th pair to score a double century each in the history of Test cricket.