'What a delight': Aussie fans fire up for Marnus Labuschagne's brilliant feat
Marnus Labuschagne has reached his maiden double-century, smacking the runs alongside captain Tim Paine on the second day of the Sydney Test.
Labuschagne had earlier become the third Australian batsman to score 800 runs in a five-Test summer, joining Sir Donald Bradman and Neil Harvey as the only players to achieve the feat
The popular number three had to wait a while on 199 before getting the opportunity to bring up the monumental mark, helping Australia to a whopping first innings score for the third time in as many Tests against New Zealand.
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A sneaky edge off Colin de Grandhomme that trickled down to the boundary was was eventually enough for him to secure his maiden Test double-hundred in just his 14th Test match.
The emerging superstar ended 2019 as the leading international Test run-scorer, and went into the New Year's Test having already locked in scores of 185, 162 and 143 in his breakthrough summer, with his only total below 50 being when he was run out for 19 in the second innings in Melbourne.
Boos rang through the SCG several times as Paine had to take singles at the end of several successive overs, denying Labuschagne the chance reach 200 - before a drinks break added to the tension.
When Labuschagne eventually made it to his double-century, praise from cricket experts and fans was universal.
Captain Tim Paine getting good-natured boos by the SCG crowd after taking a single last ball of over. Fans want to see Marnus Labuschagne bring up 200. #AUSvNZ
— Andrew Wu (@wutube) January 4, 2020
Shoutout to Marnus Labuschagne's dad in the crowd who's looking like he's so nervous for his son he's about to be sick #AUSvNZ
— Kate Miller 🐯🏆 (@KateVictoria93) January 4, 2020
He has looked particularly comfortably against newly-picked spinners Will Somerville and Todd Astle, lifting the former into the member's stand for six just before tea.
Labuschagne survived a mini scare in the eighties when he slashed at one outside the off stump that flew through a gap in the slips cordon.
He then almost edged one behind on 99 runs, before settling the nerves in the next over by glancing one down to the leg side boundary to claim the first international century of the new decade.
What delight for Marnus Labuschagne! Maiden Test 200 up for the run machine. This is some hot streak he's having. He's guaranteed to finish this innings with a higher Test average than Steve Smith. #AUSvNZ
— Andrew Wu (@wutube) January 4, 2020
I know it has been said constantly but bloody hell, the Marnus Labuschagne story is something else 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 #AUSvsNZ
— kristen (@_kjerkovich) January 4, 2020
Well played Marnus Labuschagne, 200*. So long on 199 and finally a snick through the vacant slips for 4 😅
— Dr. Martin Stoermer (@MartinStoermer) January 4, 2020
All good things must come to and end though - and on 215 a short time later, they did.
Labushagne was caught off-guard by a spicy delivery from spinner Todd Astle, feeling the bowler a catch to bring his colossal innings to a close.
