Marnus Labuschagne, Oz's best batsman

[K]

Oz's best batsman, Marnus, has been trying off spin. He figures it could help QLD, who already have specialists Kuhnemann and Swepson spinning the ball away from RHers.


Marny taking a wicket for Glamorgan:

https://twitter.com/GlamCricket/status/1649056023704113152 .

[KenH]

See that Kohli (not a bad batsman) has come out and said that Smith is easily the best batsman of this era in Test cricket! I will take his word over K any day!

[Pies4shaw]

^ No, it isn't real until Kane Williamson says it - because until you've made cheap runs on your own soft wickets and against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe but can't average 35 in India or England, you haven't earned the right to comment.

[Pies4shaw]

First ball duck overnight. A little disappointing.

[piedys]

[K]

A solid 4th Test from Marny:

51 (115), six 4s; and
111 (173), ten 4s, two 6s.

He'll be disappointed to get out (both times), but hopefully he's turned the corner.

[Pies4shaw]

It'd be time to change the embarrassing title of this thread. Marnus has finished the Ashes with career batting averages to date against English bowlers as follows:

Woakes - 13
Wood - 16
Broad - 19
Anderson 30

His career averages in English conditions against those 4 are:

Broad - 6.5
Wood 11
Woakes 21
Anderson 30.

[K]

'With 204 runs from 192 balls in the first two matches of the series, Labuschagne is mounting a serious case for a late inclusion in Australia's World Cup touring party after initially being dropped and left out of the 15-player squad announced last week.

"(I've made) a few slight technical changes that I started in England – I'm a little bit more open in my stance – and just more intent," the 29-year-old said on the broadcast during the innings break when asked about the improvements in his one-day batting.

"(I'm) looking to hit boundaries, looking to score, rather that lay off and try to manipulate from the start. It's nice that it's started so well but we've just got to keep winning games."
...

Labuschagne reached his second ODI ton – both in the country of his birth – off 80 deliveries when he reverse-swept Aiden Markram for four.

He was eventually caught in the deep of Shamsi (4-61) from the first ball of the 46th over for a wonderful career-best 124 from 99 balls that included 19 boundaries and a six.'

(cricket.com.au)

........................

Good coupla ODIs from Marny.

Really, he should be in the ODI WC squad ahead of FTB Smith. But maybe that's true of many players.

[K]

Marny made Oz's ODI WC squad!

Journos wrote that Oz selectors didn't wanna pick him 'cos they reckon he bats as slowly as FTB Smith. But injuries elsewhere opened a space. (Of course, if they're right about the selectors, there was an easy solution... Just drop FTB Smith. The Oz selectors' loyalty to FTB in ODIs is like their loyalty to Warner in Tests. That led to Oz failing to win the Ashes.)


Before the announcement:

"Marnus Labuschagne is facing the prospect of being frozen out of Australia’s World Cup campaign...

Since his recall for the start of the South Africa series, Labuschagne has been Australia’s leading scorer with 349 runs at 58.16 and a strike rate of 93.56. But he has been unable to shake the perception that he bats at too similar a tempo to the returning Steve Smith, and is no longer bowling his wrist spin as consistently as he once did."

(Brettig, The Age)

[K]

[K]

[K]

'Labuschagne has been a standout in the field this tournament and a consistent high achiever even when Australia's efforts where under the microscope during the early losses to India and South Africa.

His three run outs in the World Cup is the equal most and his eight catches puts him third for the most catches among non-wicketkeepers.
...

Such has been Labuschagne's constant threat to the opposition batters in the field so far this campaign, his selection now won't come down to solely his batting. What he brings to the team in the field will also be weighed up.

He executed two brilliant run outs against Bangladesh from efforts that could be classed as no more than half-chances to break both established partnerships.

The first saw stand-in captain Najmul Shanto knock a ball into the square leg area and immediately call for two. Labuschagne was at a regulation midwicket and reached the ball before his teammate from deep square leg. He slid, gathered and released the ball in one motion. The throw was inch-perfect and wicketkeeper Josh Inglis was able to knock off the bails with Shanto at least 20cm short of the crease.

That broke a 64-run partnership and eight overs later Labuschagne was at it again, this time with a direct hit.

Towhid Hridoy dropped the ball onto the off side and called Mahmudullah for a quick single. But he didn't consider who was haring in from cover. Labuschagne scooped the ball up in his right hand and under-armed the ball while horizontal to the ground, sending veteran Mahmudullah back to the sheds.
...

Captain Pat Cummins trusts Labuschagne in the high-traffic fielding positions such as long on and deep midwicket in the final overs of the innings, key spots on the field that can decide the outcome of a match such as Australia's nail-biting win over New Zealand in Dharamsala.

He fielded three of the six balls in the final over including a superb boundary save off the third-last delivery and executing the match-defining run out of Jimmy Neesham off the penultimate ball.'

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3781490/marnus-labuschagne-world-cup-selection-fielding-efforts-run-outs-australia-bangladesh-pune

[Pies4shaw]

Yes, his fielding has been superb. His batting has been way too slow. Perhaps he could be a 12th man, specialist fielder? When Maxwell returns, they have to drop Marnus or Stoinis.

[K]

Marny also got backing from Jonty Rhodes.

And Oz's last great batsman, Ricky Ponting, says he should play ahead of Stoinis. So does Shane Watson. Watson says Marny's Test batting skill may be needed.

[K]

Against S. Africa, out LBW reverse-sweeping. TV review: umpire's call on hitting stumps.

Hayden was more critical of Marny than Maxy. "That's Maxwell." ..."It's magic until it's not." Hayden said this was what Marny was in the team for. His Test batting. So he shouldn't have got out.

True... Run rate didn't matter. But ya could say the same about FTB Smith's atrocious dismissal later. FTB just lost his mind. Wonder what Hayden thought 'bout that. After the game, Oz's last great batsman, Ricky Ponting, said some of the Oz batters would want to have their time over again.

And Hayden was too easy on Maxwell. With Ponting commentating, TV showed Maxwell's dismissal was identical to his dismissal against India. Same type of bowling (left-arm wrist spin). Same ball. Same shot. Same result.


So only Inglis (and Starc and Cummins!!) passed the test in the Oz innings. Hazlewood told the media it was good practice in spinning conditions for the final. But it's not practice when you're clean bowled by the first ball bowled (Warner and Head)!! Yeah, good practice for Inglis, Starc and Cummins. But not the others.