Australia and England dominant in test matches

Australia and England have had dominant days in their respective test matches.

Marnus Labuschagne
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Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith heaped misery on the West Indies bowlers as they each blasted double centuries and helped Australia to a monster total of 598-4 declared on the second day of the opening match of their two-test series.

West Indies trail by 524 runs at stumps after toiling in the field for 152.4 overs in Perth, but their fightback began well, with them ending the day on 74 without loss.

The hosts closed their first innings when Travis Head was bowled for 99 by part-time spinner Kraigg Brathwaite.

Australia dominated from the outset, with overnight batsmen Smith (200 not out) and Labuschagne (204) peeling off nearly four runs an over in the opening session.

Meanwhile four of England’s top five batsmen smashed rapid hundreds in a record-breaking day of batting as the visitors racked up 506-4 on the opening day of the first test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

It is the first time in test cricket that 500 runs have been scored on the first day.

On a flat track and against a Pakistan attack that included three debutants, England’s batting looked like a continuation of their victorious campaign at the T20 World Cup in Australia.

Openers Zak Crawley (122) and Ben Duckett (107) combined in a 233-run stand to give England a blazing start.

Number three batsman Ollie Pope made 108 while Harry Brook, who was unbeaten on 101 off 81 balls, illustrated their approach best when he smashed six fours in an over from Saud Shakeel.

Ben Stokes was batting on 34 when bad light stopped play, doubtless to the relief of the Pakistan camp.

England will also play in Multan and Karachi in what is their first test tour of Pakistan since 2005.

-Reuters