Marnus Labuschagne cracked a masterful unbeaten 154, whereas Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith hit fifties as a dominant Australia took management of the opening Take a look at in opposition to the West Indies at Perth Stadium on Wednesday.
The host reached an ominous 293-2 at stumps on day one following captain Pat Cummins’ determination to bat in scorching and dry circumstances.
The whole was constructed off the again of a 142-run stand between Labuschagne and Khawaja, who got here collectively after David Warner was out for 5, then an unbeaten 142 with Smith.
A targeted Labuschagne, who survived probabilities on 75 and 137, introduced up his eighth century in his twenty ninth Take a look at, and with the in-form Smith unbeaten on 59, the omens should not good for the customer, which has didn’t win a Take a look at in Australia for 25 years.
Labuschagne, Khawaja dig deep
The West Indies bowled with loads of self-discipline in entrance of simply 10,929 spectators, however the probabilities have been few and much between.
After getting the early wicket of Warner for 5, it needed to toil for hours within the warmth to bag one other, with Khawaja compiling 65 earlier than edging Kyle Mayers to wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva simply earlier than lunch.
Labuschagne and Khawaja got here collectively after Warner fell to younger paceman Jayden Seales, and hardly put a foot mistaken.
They needed to work arduous in opposition to economical bowling within the opening session of the primary Take a look at between the perimeters for practically seven years, reaching 72-1 at lunch.
However they accelerated after the break, with Labuschagne mentioning his 50 with a 3 off Jason Holder.
A faultless Khawaja, who has been a rock on the high of the order this 12 months, quickly adopted, cracking spinner Roston Chase for 4 after which a single to succeed in his 18th half-century in his 52nd Take a look at.
Khawaja had scored 4 Take a look at centuries and reached the 90s twice within the final 12 months, with extra glory beckoning.
However he was undone by an exquisite supply from Mayers, which trimmed the skin fringe of his bat and was a simple take for Da Silva.
Undeterred, Labuschagne powered to a few figures from 192 balls, hitting the milestone together with his thirteenth boundary off Seales.
Smith has reverted to a extra orthodox batting type which noticed him rating 94 and an unbeaten 80 in Australia’s latest one-day collection in opposition to England, and he once more seemed in good nick.
The 33-year-old was untroubled as he swept to a thirty seventh Take a look at 50, eyeing one other century to attract stage with the nice Donald Bradman on 29.
Harm worries
Carrying black armbands to mourn former West Indies wicketkeeper David Murray, who died final week, the customer saved Warner and Khawaja in examine within the opening overs.
Warner’s first attacking shot noticed Seales pulled for a boundary within the fourth over.
However the left-hander’s aggression value him subsequent ball as tried to drive a wider supply solely to pull it again on to his stumps.
The West Indies suffered a blow earlier than the match, with allrounder Raymon Reifer dominated out after selecting up a groin harm.
It handed a debut to batsman Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the son of retired nice Shivnarine.
Prime-ranked Australia made only one change from its final Take a look at in opposition to Sri Lanka in July, with speedster Josh Hazlewood in for spinner Mitchell Swepson.
