NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport

Cricket: Jason Gillespie pens hilarious letter welcoming Marnus Labuschagne to Australia's double-hundred club

news.com.au
4 Jan, 2020 04:47 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Marnus Labuschagne celebrates his double century against New Zealand. Photo / Photosport

Marnus Labuschagne celebrates his double century against New Zealand. Photo / Photosport

Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne has been welcomed to the double-century club in hilarious fashion.

Labuschagne's hot form with the bat continued on Saturday at the SCG, where he fell for 215 after celebrating a maiden double ton.

Labuschagne has achieved almost everything this summer, shattering records and pushing to snatch Steve Smith's label of the "best since Bradman".

The right-hander's Test average is 63.63, almost a full run an innings above that of Steve Smith and the second best of all time after 20 innings, behind only Donald Bradman, after scoring four Test centuries in a record-breaking stretch of dominance.

READ MORE:
• Cricket: Former Australian cricketer Mark Waugh has unfortunate slip of tongue in commentary during Black Caps test
• Live cricket updates: Black Caps v Australia, third test, day two at the Sydney Cricket Gound
• Cricket: Black Caps show spirit on day two of third test against Australia at SCG
• Cricket: Six takeaways from day two of the third test between the Black Caps and Australia at the SCG

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He's broken the Australian record for most runs in a five-Test Aussie summer, passing Neil Harvey's 1953 record of 834 runs, as he was dismissed on 837 runs.

England's Wally Hammond and Sir Donald Bradman are the only other batsman to reach 800 runs in a five-test Aussie summer. Hammond currently holds the record on 905 runs, which he hit back in 1928-29.

But after his first double century, he was welcomed to the club by another, unlikely, member.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Always great to welcome a new member to the test double hundred club. Well batted Marnus.👍🏽#AUSvNZ

— Jason Gillespie 🌱 (@dizzy259) January 4, 2020

Batting as a night-watchman and in his final ever test for Australia, Gillespie - primarily known for opening the bowling - scored 201 not out against Bangladesh in Chittagong in 2006.

Gillespie's acknowledgment of Labuschagne's feat didn't stop with a single tweet however, he also wrote a full letter on cricket.com.au.

He began: "You now rub shoulders with Australia's greatest batters, from Bradman to Harvey, Ponting to Perry, Brown to Border, Simpson to Smith and, of course, with me, Jason Gillespie.

"Marnus, you are entrant No.42 in our group, which dates back to 1884 when the legendary former captain Billy Murdoch hammered the Poms to the tune of 211 at The Oval.

Discover more

Black Caps

Black Caps prepared for bush fire smoke delays in third test

03 Jan 08:42 PM
Black Caps

Paul Lewis: The real way to revive test cricket

03 Jan 10:30 PM
Black Caps

Walking wounded: Black Cap breaks thumb, another goes down with flu

04 Jan 12:15 AM
Black Caps

Just what the doctor ordered: Black Caps show superb spirit

04 Jan 07:00 AM

"Since then, a further 37 men and four women have joined AWATMDC, the group I founded when I batted with patience, poise and deceptive power to post 201no against Bangladesh in Chittagong in 2006."

It's a masterful letter with Gillespie also mentioning he bowed out of cricket because of the scrutiny after his double hundred.

"Suddenly people will want to know where you live, who you're with, whether you dye your hair or if your diet is plant-based or not," the letter read.

"It is no small burden and one I recognised straight away, which is why I gracefully bowed out of Test cricket after scoring my unbelievable double century and never again wore the Baggy Green.

"But you are a young man with a bright future in front of you, so I implore you to carry on, keep piling on the runs and do your teammates, family, the country and, most importantly, this club proud."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Racing

Ashlee Strawbridge rides Cheap Sav to victory for first career win

18 Jun 06:44 AM
Racing

Platinum Diamond leads strong contender trio in Ōtaki feature

18 Jun 06:37 AM
New Zealand

UFC star Dan Hooker invites women to backyard brawls with $50k prize

18 Jun 05:59 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Ashlee Strawbridge rides Cheap Sav to victory for first career win

Ashlee Strawbridge rides Cheap Sav to victory for first career win

18 Jun 06:44 AM

Ashlee Strawbridge guided her first winner at Cambridge on Wednesday.

Platinum Diamond leads strong contender trio in Ōtaki feature

Platinum Diamond leads strong contender trio in Ōtaki feature

18 Jun 06:37 AM
UFC star Dan Hooker invites women to backyard brawls with $50k prize

UFC star Dan Hooker invites women to backyard brawls with $50k prize

18 Jun 05:59 AM
How Do You Just's Ellerslie triumph led to Hong Kong sale

How Do You Just's Ellerslie triumph led to Hong Kong sale

18 Jun 05:44 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP