Publications
Partners
Cape Town - They may find it hard to stifle a cheeky little celebration in Klerksdorp ... 'tis still the season to be merry, of course.
Marnus Labuschagne, albeit in the Baggy Green cap of fierce southern hemisphere rivals Australia, has become in certain, ever-booming respects the sporting pride of the North West Province town for his almost Bradmanesque feats at the crease this summer.
Born there but having emigrated with his family as a 10-year-old - and wholly Afrikaans-speaking at the time - Labuschagne on Saturday advanced to his maiden double century (215) in Test cricket, during day two of the third contest against New Zealand in Sydney.
The 25-year-old righthander, in his 14th Test appearance, had resumed on Saturday from his overnight 130 not out, and ended up adding another 85 runs - for a total vigil of 516 minutes, or 8.6 hours.
It was his longest stay yet in a home Test season that has now, incredibly, seen him at the crease for just over 33 hours across seven innings: an average of 4.7 hours per knock for Labuschagne.
These are his runs, with minutes in brackets, from the outset of the Aussies' home Test campaign in 2019/20: 185 (366 min) v Pakistan, Brisbane; 162 (350) v Pakistan, Adelaide; 143 (369) and 50 (115) v New Zealand, Perth; 63 (218) and 19 (49) v New Zealand, Melbourne; and now 215 (516) midway through the current Test against the Black Caps at the SCG.
The golden spell has seen him amass 837 runs at an average of 119.57.
After a moderate start to his Test career in late 2018, Labuschagne has now significantly hiked his overall average in the format to a stellar 63.63 after 22 knocks.
Why wouldn't they raise a glass, even if with just a tinge of regret, in Klerksdorp?
*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing
