Welcome to our live coverage of day four of the first Test between Australia and the West Indies.
The Aussies are well and truly in the box seat after three days of domination in Perth.
Will it continue?
Follow all the latest news below.
STATE OF PLAY: WEST INDIES LAUNCH FIGHTBACK
West Indies openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul (27*) and Kraigg Brathwaite (39*) are launching a gutsy counter-attack in Perth – and Pat Cummins’ absence from the Australia bowling attack is helping their cause.
Australia’s reliance on their captain is being exposed by the tourists’ opening duo, with the home side’s bowling unit failing to crack the Windies wall.
While Josh Hazlewood is looking the most likely, pressure is mounting on Nathan Lyon to stand up in place of his inspirational skipper.
But credit must go to Chanderpaul and Brathwaite who are resisting everything Australia has thrown at them.
Steve Smith is so desperate he’s tossed the ball to Marnus Labuschagne who is bowling – wait for it – medium pacers!
Fox Sports commentator Isa Guha praised the duo: “These two have formed a nice partnership in their short time together: it’s been disciplined, it’s been courageous at times, and now they’re scoring runs.”
Australian legend Michael Hussey believes the pair has demoralised the home side.
“This has been fantastic from the West Indies pair,” Hussey said in the Fox Sports comms box. “I think the Australians would have been cock-a-hoop at lunch time after declaring. They would have been thinking ‘let’s come out and really blast them away here, get a couple of early ones and put them under pressure’ but this opening pair, they’re made of serious stuff.”
RETURN OF CULT HERO ON CARDS
Pat Cummins’ quad injury could open the door for a special return in the Adelaide Pink Ball Test.
Scott Boland earned instant cult status when he took 6-7 at the MCG during the Ashes summer last year.
In similar circumstances, Boland replaced an injured Josh Hazlewood in the Boxing Day Test.
Boland is touring with the current squad and has been spotted in and around the team in Perth.
CUMMINS BLOW: BIG NEWS OUT OF PERTH
Steve Smith will captain Australia in the second session on day four, with Pat Cummins off the field with right-sided quadriceps soreness.
It’s understood Cummins had an MRI on Friday night and although it’s a mild case of soreness, he will continue to be monitored and may not bowl in the second innings of the first Test unless required.
Smith will take the reins as skipper and could be in line to captain his second successive Adelaide Test next week if Cummins can’t get up for the second Test against the Windies starting on Thursday.
CA said Cummins will be assessed on an ongoing basis through the innings.
“Pat Cummins is experiencing some mild right sided quadricep soreness,” CA said in a statement. “He will continue to be monitored by team medical staff and his availability to bowl in the second innings will be assessed on an ongoing basis.” – Ben Horne in Perth
DECLARATION: AUSSIES LEARN THEIR LESSON
The heavy rollers are out meaning Australia has declared, setting West Indies 498 for victory.
It’s a good call from the Aussies who have come under fire for batting too long in the past, most recently blowing a Test victory at the SCG in their series loss to India in 2021.
STATE OF PLAY: LABUSCHAGNE EATS TON FOR LUNCH
Marnus Labuschagne (104*) loves scoring runs in Australia!
The batting maestro notches twin centuries in Perth, reaching the milestone off just 109 balls.
Australia’s number three hit 13 fours and a six to reach his ton in the last over before lunch, adding to his 204 in the first innings.
Labuschagne is just the eighth batsman to hit a double century and century in a single match.
But it wasn’t an innings without controversy with Labuschagne caught off a no-ball early on day four.
The incident only adds to the narrative that Australia’s no.3 is the luckiest batsman in international cricket.
A modest Labuschagne was under no illusions that he got away with one against Alzarri Joseph.
“Obviously a bit of luck with that (no-ball) bouncer,” Labuschagne said at the lunch break. “He (Alzarri Joseph) was bowling quite fast there and I got away with one there but it’s always nice (scoring a century) so I’m very proud.”
Labuschagne said his battle with Joseph “got the beans running”.
“I played some rogue shots after that (bouncer barrage) but tried to compose myself and get the heartrate down . It was a really good spell, I think he was hitting 145hm/h.”
WARNER FALLS AS LABUSCHAGNE REACHES 50
Finally the West Indies have struck on day four but they had to wait until the first over after the drinks break to do it.
David Warner is the man to go, falling to off-spinner Roston Chase.
Warner tried to defend a well flighted delivery but got a little bit too much of it. The ball squirted to the right of short leg who was able to hold on for a smart catch.
The Aussies know they more than likely have enough runs to ice the match now.
The big question will be how long they want to give their bowlers to rest.
Expect Smith and Labuschagne, who has just reached 50, to up the scoring rate from now.
NO-BALL DRAMA HITS WINDIES AS LABUSCHAGNE SURVIVES
Things have gone from bad to worse for the West Indies, who have been robbed of a wicket after a no-ball drama.
Fresh off being hit for a massive six, Joseph responded with a short ball which left Labuschagne and clipped the edge of his bat.
The ball then came off his helmet and ballooned to gully.
But before there could be too much celebrating, a replay showed Joseph’s foot just over the line.
It is 30 degrees in Perth and the tourists trail by 366. That sort of blow will be extremely demoralising.
Labuschagne is checked by the Australian team doctors after the high hit but is staying in the middle.
LABUSCHAGNE WEARS ONE OF THE GLOVE
We are off and running here to start day four. And it has only taken one over for a little bit of drama.
Marnus Labuschagne has been struck on the hand after a short ball from Alzarri Joseph.
Labuschagne was attempting a pull shot but the ball smashed into his glove.
The Aussie star removed the glove and was seen flexing his hand. He appears to be ok.
There are no signs of him coming off the ground which is great.
TEAMS
Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
West Indies XI: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Nkrumah Bonner, Jermaine Blackwood, Kyle Mayers, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva, Roston Chase, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales
Originally published as Australia v West Indies: Follow all the latest news from day 4 of the Perth Test
