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SA-born Labuschagne to end 2019 as highest run-scorer

Cape Town - South African-born Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne will likely end as the leading run-scorer in Test cricket for 2019.

Labuschagne, who was born in Klerksdorp, has scored 1 022 runs to date in 10 matches at an average of 68.13.

Trailing Labuschagne - by 149 runs - in the Test run-scorer charts is former Australian captain Steve Smith, who is currently on 873 after 7 matches.

Smith returned to Test cricket in August this year after facing a one-year ban from international cricket for ball-tampering during the Test against the Proteas in Cape Town in March 2018.

Australia still have one more Test remaining for the year - when they host New Zealand in their second Test on Boxing Day in Melbourne (02:00 SA time).

2019 has not been a great year for South African cricket with wide-ranging issues both on and off the field.

The Proteas have only won two of their seven Tests, which included a 2-0 series loss to Sri Lanka at home and 3-0 loss India in India.

The best South African batsman this year, Quinton de Kock, finds himself 13th in the standings, with 584 runs in his 7 Tests to date.

The Proteas also have a single Test remaining this year - against England in Centurion - starting on Thursday, December 26 (10:00).

Meanwhile, Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins leads the wicket-taking standings with 54 in his 11 Tests to date.

Fellow team-mates Nathan Lyon (41) and Mitchell Starc (40) are the only bowlers who could catch Cummins, but are 13 and 14 behind, respectively, making it an unlikely scenario.

The best South African bowler is last year's top wicket-taker, Kagiso Rabada, who has claimed 26 wickets in his 7 Tests thus far.

Top 10 run-scorers of 2019 as of December 23:

1. Marnus Labuschagne (AUS) - 1 022

2. Steve Smith (AUS) - 873

3. Joe Root (ENG) - 774

4. Ben Stokes (ENG) - 772

5. Mayank Agarwal (IND) - 754

6. Rory Burns (ENG) - 731

7. David Warner (AUS) - 646

8. Ajinkya Rahane (IND) - 642

9. Babar Azam (PAK) - 616

10. Virat Kohli (IND) - 612

Top 10 wicket-takers of 2019 as of December 23:

1. Pat Cummins (AUS) - 54

2. Nathan Lyon (AUS) - 41

3. Mitchell Starc (AUS) - 40

4. Stuart Broad (ENG) - 38

5. Neil Wagner (NZ) - 36

6. Mohammed Shami (IND) - 33

7. Josh Hazlewood (AUS) - 33

8. Tim Southee (NZ) - 30

9. Kemar Roach (WI) - 27

10. Kagiso Rabada (RSA) - 26

- Compiled by Lynn Butler

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