Srinagar: Australia star batter duo Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith registered a rare feat as they scored double centuries to help Australia to a mammoth first innings total in Perth on day two of the first Test against West Indies.
Labuschagne completed his second Test double century while Smith made his fourth as Perth witnessed the rare occurrence of two double hundreds in a single team innings.
This was only the 17th instance of two double hundreds coming in a team innings in Test cricket history and also the first such instance since January 2012 when Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke made double hundreds against India in Adelaide.
The day began with Labuschagne already well past his hundred and Smith appearing fluid at the crease. West Indies had little to rejoice after the early wicket of David Warner on day one.
Labuschagne made the bowlers toil alongside Usman Khawaja and later Smith on day one and completed his eighth Test ton at home.
Smith and Labuschagne then combined to torment the visitors, sharing a huge 251-run partnership to take Australia past 400 and into declaration zone.
Labuschagne departed soon after his double hundred but Travis Head and Smith scored briskly to push Australia past 500. Head fell one short of a deserved hundred, but Smith got to his double century before Australia declared, giving themselves a good chance to push for that place in the ICC World Test Championship 2023 final.
World Test Championship standings
West Indies openers, debutant Tagenarine Chanderpaul and skipper Kraigg Brathwaite, put on a 74-run opening stand to carry the tourists to stumps, but a massive task awaits the Windies on day three.
Courtesy ICC