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Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne Shine With The Bat; Australia Declare First Innings At 511/7 Against West Indies

AUS vs WI 2nd Test: At tea in Adelaide on day two, the visitors were 14 without loss after Australia declared their first innings at 511-7 soon before the break.

AFP News
By AFP News December 09, 2022 • 14:45 PM
Cricket Image for Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne Shine With The Bat; Australia Declare First Inning
Cricket Image for Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne Shine With The Bat; Australia Declare First Inning (Image Source: Twitter)
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Travis Head crunched 175 after Marnus Labuschagne became the second-fastest man to 3,000 Test runs behind only Donald Bradman on Friday as Australia put the West Indies to the sword in the day-night second Test.

At tea in Adelaide on day two, the visitors were 14 without loss after Australia declared their first innings at 511-7 soon before the break.

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Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul were both on seven.

Australian skipper Steve Smith's decision gave his bowlers just over a full session to inflict maximum damage with the new pink ball under lights, which is usually the most treacherous time to bat in day-night Tests.

Head make a sparkling 175, his highest Test score, before a brain fade with Cameron Green ended his impressive 219-ball knock, depriving him of a maiden double century.

Green had nudged to fine leg and was pushing for two, but then sent Head back. He dived for the crease, but fell just short.

It was a huge waste and even more so with Green, who never looked comfortable, out for nine soon after, dragging an Alzarri Joseph delivery onto his stumps.

Alex Carey (41 not out) and Michael Neser (18) came together and consolidated before the declaration 30 minutes before tea.

Labuschagne made 163, to go with his 204 and 104 not out in the first Test, before the West Indies made their first breakthrough of the day ahead of dinner, with wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva holding a catch off Devon Thomas's bowling.

It snapped a 297-run stand between Head and Labuschagne and ended another stylish performance from the left-hander.

In the process, he passed 3,000 Test runs in his 51st innings, matching West Indies great Everton Weekes as the second-quickest to the milestone.

But they were still considerably slower than Australian legend Bradman, who accomplished the feat in 33 innings.

Australia resumed day two on 330-3 after dominating on Thursday, when David Warner (21), Usman Khawaja (62) and skipper Steve Smith (0) were the only wickets to fall.

Labuschagne began on 120 and Head 114, with an injury-hit West Indies again faced with a flat pitch offering little help.

Joseph extracted some early bounce, but the Australians were largely untroubled with Head impressive, pouncing on anything short or wide.

The West Indies bowling stocks were diminished with allrounder Kyle Mayers and pacemen Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales out injured.

Adding to their woes, replacement Marquino Mindley again failed to bowl, having limped off after just two overs on his debut Thursday.

Also Read: Roston Chase Picks Up His All-Time XI, Includes 3 Indians

Head was the first to reach 150, with a boundary off spinner Roston Chase, but Labuschagne was not far behind before being dismissed shortly before dinner. Head was out in the third over when they returned.
 


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