Run machine Marnus Labuschagne joined an elite group of just eight players on Saturday to score double and single centuries in the same men’s Test, admitting “a bit of luck” helped him to the feat.
The masterful number three was not out on 104 when Australia declared its second innings at lunch on day four and set the West Indies a 49-run target to win the first Test in Perth.
It followed his 204 in the first innings and made him only the third Australian to hit 200 and 100 in the same Test, after Doug Walters and Greg Chappell.
Only five others have made the grade, including West Indies greats Brian Lara and Lawrence Rowe, India’s Sunil Gavaskar, England’s Graham Gooch and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, Cricket Australia said.
Labuschagne was targeted by a series of short balls by Alzarri Joseph early in his knock Saturday, including an edge that hit his helmet and was caught at gully while he was on 19.
He was preparing to walk off the field when a no-ball was called and he made the most of his life to reach the milestone.
“Obviously a bit of luck today with that bouncer, he (Joseph) was bowling fast there and it got away,” Labuschagne said.
“It’s always nice, it’s something I’ve never done in Test cricket (double century and century in the same match), very proud.”
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