Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head score centuries as Australia dominates West Indies in pink-ball Test

That’s where we’ll leave it 16m agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 11:42am

By Andrew McGarry

A big day for Australia at Adelaide Oval was capped off by centurions Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head(Getty )

That brings our coverage of day one of the second Test.

We’ll be back tomorrow for the resumption of the Australian innings. From myself, Andrew McGarry, and my colleague Simon Smale, have a good evening!

Another reader from overseas 20m agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 11:38am

By Andrew McGarry

Hello from Wiltshire, UK. At home looking after my sick son, he’s home from school but really wanted to listen to the cricket!

– Doug

Doug,

I’m sorry to hear your son is not doing well, but I hope our commentary has kept you both entertained over there.

Hopefully you’ll get to join us for day two!

What a day for the Aussies 22m agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 11:36am

By Andrew McGarry

That is another dominating day for the hosts.

There were moments where you felt that West indies were in the game – particularly after getting the wickets of Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith in quick succession.

But centuries to Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head have tipped the balance well and truly in Australia’s favour.

This pair have an unbeaten partnership of 199 – and there is nothing that says they won’t go on and add substantially to that tomorrow.

In six days of Test cricket, the West Indies have taken just nine Australian wickets – and with the unfortunate injury to debutant Marquino Mindley, they are going to struggle for the rest of this match, one suspects.

89th over – Phillip bowls the last 26m agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 11:32am

By Andrew McGarry

We will finish an over short apparently.

Another mis-field gives another run to the Aussies.

The next ball is fielded correctly – and there is a Bronx cheer!

Labuschagne flicks one away off his legs for a single. Australia is 3-329…

Head leans back and barely pushes one three-quarters to the boundary for a single.

Labuschagne blocks one back to the bowler.

Final ball – Marnus clips one to leg, and then shouts “NO, NO, NO!” as they avoid a run-out.

That’s day 1 in the books. Australia 3-330.

88th over – Kraigg Brathwaite gets the ball late on 31m agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 11:27am

By Andrew McGarry

That was a nice slider to start! it went past the bat.

Labuschagne gets a single off the next ball, and guess who is back on strike?

Travis head blocks one back for a dot ball, and we all take a breath.

And another dot. Has he finally shut up shop for the night?

This is a quick over (time-wise). Head gets one down the ground for a single off the last ball, and he;s on again.

87th over – Anderson Phillip gets the ball 33m agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 11:25am

By Andrew McGarry

CRUNCH! new bat, same result as Travis Head smashes another ball through the covers for four off the fourth ball of the over.

He mis-hits the next ball, no run. These are not fast deliveries from Phillip, but it doesn’t seem to matter – head is generating his own energy!

AND ANOTHER!! Another cracking shot from Head takes him to 111 and Australia to 3-323.

86th over – Jason Holder again 38m agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 11:19am

By Andrew McGarry

It’s been one of those days for the West indies. jason Holder lost control of the ball running in, and everyone had a laugh.

But’s not really funny for the tourists, who are looking down the barrel of a possible 500-run deficit if Australia bat two sessions tomorrow – far from an impossibility.

Travis Head gets a single out on the legside.

Labuschagne gets hit on the thigh, they run through for a bye.

And another single to Head to end the over, as a new bat gets run out on the ground for the South Australian.

85th over – A century for Travis Head! 47m agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 11:11am

By Andrew McGarry

Key Event

That was close!! That moved a bit and just eluded Head’s edge.

AND HE DOES IT! A brilliant drive down the ground and Travis Head smiles, waves his arms, brandishes his bat and celebrates his fifth Test century and his first at Adelaide Oval!

The crowd are LOVING this.

Head gets a single now to get off strike.

He is catching up rapidly with Labuschagne, who is on 116.

A couple of leaves to finish – it’s 3-312.

84th over – Travis Head closing in on a ton 51m agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 11:07am

By Andrew McGarry

Head faces Jason Holder – he lets one go through to the keeper first up. He needs nine more for a century.

A couple of dots to start.

WHACK! Head is seeing it like a beachball – he sends that to the boundary through the covers to move to 95!

And now a single.

Holder to bowl to Labuschagne with two to come.

“NO RAAAN!!!”. Marnus is happy to defend.

And he lets the last ball seam past him.

83rd over – Joseph goes again 54m agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 11:04am

By Andrew McGarry

Travis Head flays a ball out on the offside, it goes out toward the boundary, the sub fielder makes a stop, but they come back for two.

Travis Head into the 90s. And that’s another single – he’s on to 91 off 119.

Some more movement for Joseph to Labuschagne, no run.

Chance for runs there, a full toss that goes down leg – the batsman misses contact.

Not that time! That’s four! Labuschagne picks it up down leg and deposits it for four – and the 300 is up!

82nd over – Jason Holder comes back on 1h agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 10:58am

By Andrew McGarry

Jason Holder has bowled well, without much reward – can he get something from the new ball and make life tough for Head and Labuschagne?

Marnus taps it down toward the slips, there is no run.

Holder gets it to move away from Labuschagne, another dot ball.

A leave from the batsman, no run. And another – Labuschagne showing patience here. And another to end. A maiden.

81st over- Alzarri Joseph 1h agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 10:54am

By Andrew McGarry

The first ball moves away from the right-hander, so that’s something.

Labuschagne quickly gets onto the next ball, and flicks a single out on the leg side – it runs away fast. The ball IS coming on.

Head on strike on 83.

There are three slips and a gully.

A poor one, Head gets the ball off his hip onto the leg side, and they run three.

That one squared Labuschagne up, but it beat the field and they ran a single anyway. There is some shape, though.

Head blocks one down the ground, there is no run – this time the ball comes back in a bit.

This time head drives down the ground and it beats the fielder – they run two. Seven off the over. 3-295.

West Indies take the new ball with Alzarri Joseph 1h agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 10:52am

By Andrew McGarry

Key Event

it will surprise NO ONE that the West Indies have taken the new ball straight away.

Now, will Alzarri Joseph send some short stuff at Labuschagne? Maybe?

80th over – Another run for Chase 1h agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 10:51am

By Andrew McGarry

The West Indies are WILLING this over to be over so they can get a new pill.

There are some rare dot balls, which are bringing Bronx cheers from the crowd.

One run off the over – and that’s the 80-over mark.

79th over – Brathwaite comes on 1h agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 10:48am

By Andrew McGarry

Oh dear, there is yet another mis-field off the skipper’s first ball.

That’s two more.

The Australians are cruising along, and one wonders what the result will be if the new ball is taken and starts coming on faster.

it could be carnage.

78th over – Chase comes in again 1h agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 10:45am

By Andrew McGarry

Three overs until the new ball is due.

Another mis-field to start the over. A single to Head.

Labuschagne is unbeaten on 105 here. he guides one to the field, and that is 200 balls faced – in other words, he’s only getting going!

A single out on the off, and Head is now on strike. he waits for that one – there’s a bit of turn, but he still manages to find the gap for another single. The partnership is now up to 150.

And ANOTHER mis-field – this time they go for two! It’s 3-283. Ouch.

77th over – Devon Thomas continues 1h agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 10:41am

By Andrew McGarry

The score keeps moving.

That’s a four to Head with a late cut – great shot, these two are showing no signs of stopping.

AND ANOTHER!! That’s in the same spot, even better than the one before! Head goes to 77.

There’s a dot ball – and that’s a full toss, and Head gets a single square on the off. He stays on strike.

Injury to a debutant 1h agoThu 8 Dec 2022 at 10:40am

By Andrew McGarry

Who is the windies bowler who is injured?

– Peter

Peter,

The bowler who is injured is Marquino Mindley, a seamer making his debut for the West Indies.

Sadly, he only bowled two overs before going off with hamstring problems.