Marnus Labuschagne

Marnus Labuschagne has admitted his third-straight century didn't come easy, battling through the first day of the Adelaide pink-ball Test against West ...

It's a stats-based game and when you work as hard as we do, when it comes as close as that, it was tough to take. "You almost just narrow it down and just watch the stumps and play down here until that comes. “We don’t train with the pink ball and we don’t play with the pink ball in Shield cricket anymore. I feel like the pink ball can be a bit two-paced and some hold in the wicket. In terms of being fluid and feeling like I’m smacking the ball, it didn’t really feel like that today. [After playing a starring role in Perth with scores of 204 and 104*](https://www.sportingnews.com/au/cricket/news/marnus-labuschagne-credits-gabba-experience-opening-day-century-against-west-indies/zxryvq4gcqtrbhh7heyp0dw6), the world's best batsman backed it up with an unbeaten 120* heading into the second day.

Australia is in a commanding position at the end of Day 1 of the Adelaide Test.

He is the preeminent player in day-night Test cricket,” Whateley said. Gerard Whateley was lavish in his praise for the 28-year-old on SEN Cricket, suggesting he might be the best pink ball batsman in cricket. Australia is in a commanding position at the end of Day 1 of the Adelaide Test, with 330 runs on the board for the loss of just three wickets.

His figures might not show it after a third successive century but Marnus Labuschagne says batting against the pink ball is tough.

He sits back low on that back foot and cuts the ball and carves the ball out to that offside. “He’s hitting balls off the top of the stumps and he’s cutting and pulling balls. “He’s always been able to change the game,” Labuschagne said of Head. “Obviously in Perth you can pick that up earlier and then that’s where you can score a bit more freely. “I just don’t pick the ball up as well or as early. “Some were holding in the wicket.

Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head scored centuries as Australia piled misery on the West Indies on day one...

It was a long week, (it was) nice for the next one to get over the line. One run does magical things to the brain. [Major issue for Aussies as star's injury resurfaces](https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/australia-west-indies-news-josh-hazlewood-injury-vs-south-africa-test-2022/0b9f2656-8b90-4a4e-bda9-885437f9b94a) [Second Test, day one](https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/australia-west-indies-2022-live-scores-second-test-day-one-highlights-results-latest-updates/eb1ea37b-3600-4ebe-841e-df9eb0da2f8e) [Marnus Labuschagne](https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/marnus-labuschagne)'s blazing start to the summer rolled on and [Travis Head](https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/travis-head) scored his first Test century at home as Australia piled misery on the West Indies on day one in Adelaide. [the day-night second Test](https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/australia-west-indies-2022-live-scores-second-test-day-one-highlights-results-latest-updates/eb1ea37b-3600-4ebe-841e-df9eb0da2f8e) after Labuschagne compiled 120 runs from 235 balls and Head pummelled 114 from 139.

Marnus Labuschagne's golden start to the NRMA Insurance Test summer has seen him become just the second Australian to score centuries in three consecutive ...

Labuschagne has now passed 800 runs in 2022 and could yet join Khawaja as the fourth batter to pass the four-figure mark (Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow have also scored over 1,000 runs this year) given he could bat another five times before the year is over with Tests to come against South Africa in Brisbane and Melbourne. He has now hit centuries in four of his last five Test innings having posted 104 in the first innings of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in June. Khawaja had ticked over 1,000 runs for the year earlier in the day in a 96-run stand with Labuschagne and currently has 1,021 at 85. Warner, whose dismissal for 21 had brought Labuschagne to the crease on Thursday afternoon, did the triple in 2014 (135 and 145 v South Africa, and 133 against Pakistan) and then again the following year (163, 116 and 253 against New Zealand). Labuschagne, having blazed scores of 185, 162 and 143 against Pakistan in late 2019, had already been among the Australian men to have posted three centuries in three consecutive Test innings, a group that includes the likes of Sir Donald Bradman and Adam Gilchrist. The 28-year-old square-drove Devon Thomas for four to reach a patient hundred off 186 deliveries, celebrating with a kiss of the badge on his helmet and a long embrace with batting partner Travis Head.

The Aussie batter has reached an eye-popping milestone and in the process matched a West Indies great.

Labuschagne has also beaten a Bradman record, with an incredible first innings average in home Tests. But with one eye on the upcoming Test series against South Africa, India and England, Labuschagne said he expected to be targeted by bouncers and that he would be ready. An injury to Test debutant Marquino Mindley on Day 1 thwarted West Indies’ plans to overwhelm Labuschagne though, with captain Kraigg Brathwaite needing to restructure the attack and focus on spin. Ahead of the second Test at Adelaide Oval, assistant coach Roddy Estwick said West Indies would attempt to bamboozle Labuschagne with bouncers in a bid to neutralise his impact. [Against West Indies in his 51st Test innings](https://7news.com.au/sport/cricket/match-centre?competition=2996&match=54099), Labuschagne (163) brought up his third century in as many innings this series and clicked over 3000 runs in the first session on Day 2. Labuschagne finished the innings with a total of 3010 Test runs to his name, meaning he has scored the fourth-most of any active Australian after Steve Smith, David Warner and Usman Khawaja.

The prolific summer for Australia No.3 Marnus Labuschagne continues as he becomes the second-fastest man in history to score 3000 Test runs.

How are West Indies going to bowl to me? How are South Africa going to bowl to me (in a three-Test series beginning next week)? "It’s very hard to then pick up balls to cut or pull. Having backed up his 204 in the first innings in Perth with a quick-fire unbeaten 104 in the second dig and now followed it with another ton in Adelaide, Labuschagne became just the second Australian to score three centuries in consecutive innings twice in his Test career. Labuschagne says he cannot see the pink ball as well as the red, but it has had little bearing on his unstoppable march to begin the NRMA Insurance Test summer as he turned his third triple-figure score in as many innings into a knock of 163 in the Adelaide day-night contest. The prolific summer for Australia No.3 Marnus Labuschagne continues as he becomes the second-fastest man in history to score 3,000 Test runs

AUS vs WI: Marnus Labuschagne Test runs – The amazing start to Marnus Labuschagne's Test career is reflected in another feat, taking just 51 innings to pass ...

Only the beyond-compare Sir Donald Bradman (33 innings) stands above Labuschagne in an esteemed list of all-time greats, the MRF Tyres No.1 Test batter shows no sign of slowing down. AUS vs WI: Marnus Labuschagne Test runs – The amazing start to Marnus Labuschagne’s Test career is reflected in another feat, taking just 51 innings to pass 3000 Test runs. AUS vs WI: Only Sir Don Bradman better than Marnus Labuschagne; Aus number 3 breaches 3000 Test runs in mere 51 innings: Check Details

Warner's words on his captaincy ban dominated conversations but, out in the middle, a depleted West Indies attack meant it was business as usual for ...

As the clock ticked over to 10pm he worked the final ball of the day to midwicket. When he sliced Thomas through backward point he made it centuries in three consecutive innings for the second time of a career that is only 30 matches old. The quicks returned after the interval with Anderson Phillip putting in a good shift to support Holder and Joseph but it didn't bring any reward. Just four of the 59 balls he bowled to Labuschagne were logged as short albeit they cost 10 runs. With Mindley off for a scan, options were limited and the half hour leading into the tea break saw Chase and Brathwaite operate in tandem. Yet, almost out of nowhere he had Usman Khawaja lbw with a ball just shaving leg stump from round the wicket. However, two balls later he went after a wide delivery and edged a big drive through to the keeper. But, as a final tally of 330 for 3 would attest, with the familiar sight of the newly-minted No. For a little while it was possible to imagine Warner's response to his off-field anger could translate into something spectacular in the middle. He could no longer distract himself - and others - from the middle. Alzarri Joseph gave him some uncomfortable moments, but when he struck three crisp boundaries in the ninth over, it looked like it could be about to cut loose. Smith threw his head back in frustration - or maybe disgust - because this was not a day to be missing out.

Head smashed a career-best 175 and combined in an epic 297-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Marnus Labuschagne, whose 163 followed his 204 and 104 ...

For the first time since 1995, a South Australian has registered a Test ton at their home ground, Travis Head not out overnight with three figures next to ...