Labuschagne’s double ton sends Kiwis on leather hunt in Sydney

New Zealand made a secure start after a Marnus Labuschagne double century lifted Australia to a massive 454 first innings total in the third Test on Saturday.

The rock-solid number three reached his highest Test score of 215 in Sydney with the Australians dismissed just before tea on the second day.

In reply, the Blackcaps grittily batted through the final session without losing a wicket, leaving skipper Tom Latham on 26 and Melbourne Test centurion Tom Blundell at 34 in their team’s total of 63.

There were a couple of close calls -- notably a leg before wicket appeal off Nathan Lyon and a possible edge off Pat Cummins -- but the Kiwis showed plenty of fight after enduring five tough sessions in the field in sapping heat.

The day belonged to Labuschagne, who sweated on 199 for 20 minutes before he thick edged Colin de Grandhomme through the vacant slips to the ropes to bring up his double ton.

The milestone came off 363 balls with 19 fours and a six and eclipsed his previous Test record of 185 against Pakistan in Brisbane last November.

Labuschagne’s prodigious form has notched him a total of 837 runs since November and he has now leapfrogged the great Neil Harvey (834) for most runs scored by an Australian during a five-Test summer. He was also Test cricket’s leading run-getter last year with 1,104 runs.

The Kiwis finally dispatched him after he was caught and bowled by leg-spinner Todd Astle.

Skipper Tim Paine supported Labuschagne to reach his double century before he was bowled between his bat and pad by de Grandhomme for 35.

Paine faced 92 balls and shared in a 79-run stand with Labuschagne to take Australia beyond 400.

Wickets tumbled quickly just before tea with James Pattinson bowled by Neil Wagner for two, Pat Cummins caught off Astle’s bowling for eight and Mitchell Starc hitting a breezy 22 off 21 balls before he was bowled by Wagner, who finished with three for 66.

Matthew Wade was out in the day’s first over, bowled while attempting to sweep off-spinner Will Somerville for no addition to his overnight score of 22. Melbourne centurion Travis Head fell to Matt Henry, snicking to wicketkeeper BJ Watling.

Henry was bowling despite fracturing his left thumb on Friday.

Agence France-Presse



Brief scores: New Zealand 0 for 63 (Blundell 34*, Latham 26*) trail Australia 454 (Labuschagne 215, Smith 63, Wagner 3-66, de Grandhomme 3-78) by 391 runs