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Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne made history, becoming the first batter to cross the 1,000 run mark in the pink-ball, day-night Test match history.
Labuschagne, who had nine and 51* while chasing 205 at Perth during the first Test, continued his fine run of form with a fluent 65 in 78 balls, with nine fours and a six, at a strike rate of over 83. The Aussie batting star is the most prolific batter in pink-ball Test history, with 1,023 runs in 10 Tests and 16 innings at an average of 63.93, with four centuries and five fifties and a best score of 163. At second place is Steve Smith, his teammate and a long-time batting partner, with 876 runs in 14 Tests at an average of 38.08, including a century and six fifties in 25 innings, with a best score of 130. Now in 16 Ashes Tests, Labuschagne has scored 1,141 runs in 29 innings at an average of 42.25, with two centuries and nine fifties, with a best score of 111. Coming to the Brisbane Test, England, who had opted to bat first, started the day at 325/9 and ended bundled out at 334 runs in 76.2 overs, with Joe Root, who cracked his maiden Test ton in Australia (138* in 206 balls, with 15 fours and a six) and Zak Crawley (76 in 93 balls, with 11 fours) leading the scoreboard. Left-armer Mitchell Starc, who surpassed Pakistan icon Wasim Akram to become the most successful left-armed pacer in Tests, was the pick of the bowlers with 6/75, with Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland and Michael Neser getting one wicket each. In their first innings, Australia started off strongly with a 77-run opening stand between Travis Head (33 in 43 balls, with three fours and a six) with Jake Weatherald, who scored a fierce 72 in 78 balls, with 12 fours and a six, forming a fine 69-run stand with Labuschagne as well. Another fifty stand followed between Labuschagne and Steve Smith (61 in 85 balls, with five fours and two sixes), and a 95-run stand came between Cameron Green (45 in 57 balls, with seven fours) and Smith. Brydon Carse (3/113) and Ben Stokes (2/93) struck quickly, reducing Australia to 329/6, but Alex Carey (46* in 45 balls, with five fours) and Neser took the Aussies to 378/6 and a lead of 44 runs. (ANI)
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