Labuschagne ‘close to his best’: Andrew McDonald
Scott Bailey |
Marnus Labuschagne’s return to runs has been given the tick of approval by Australia coach Andrew McDonald, with the resurgent star a chance to open the batting in the Ashes.
Labuschagne hit his third century of the summer for Queensland across all formats on Thursday, a purple patch headlined by his 160 in the Sheffield Shield against Tasmania last weekend.
The 31-year-old has begun the season batting at No.3 for the Bulls, a position he held in the Australian Test team from late 2019 until earlier this year.
Selectors have decisions to make in the top order ahead of the first Ashes Test in Perth on November 21, including whether to keep Cameron Green at No.3.
But no issue is more pertinent than who opens alongside Usman Khawaja, after Sam Konstas failed to lock down his spot in the West Indies.
Labuschagne has opened just twice in Test cricket, dropped after making scores of 17 and 22 in the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June.
But McDonald said the door was not at all shut on Labuschagne opening.
“We definitely see that he can open the batting,” McDonald said.
“He’s doing all the right things at the moment with three domestic hundreds in four hits.
“And more impressive was the method that he applied in the front half of that (shield) innings in particular against Tassie at AB Field.
“It’s not necessarily the output sometimes you’re looking for. It’s the way he’s going about it, some subtle changes that he has made to his game.
“And to see those implemented first up in Shield round one, big tick to Marnus for all the work he’s done.”
Labuschagne has reiterated this week that his preferred position remains No.3, but he is happy to face the challenge of opening in the Ashes.
Australia have long preferred the option of someone who can put pressure back on bowlers at the top of the order alongside Khawaja, who is a more defensive batter.
That is largely viewed as a reason why he and David Warner worked well together, and why Konstas helped Khawaja return to runs at the MCG last summer.
Labuschagne by no means scores at the same rate Warner once did.
But the former world No.1-ranked batter did go at a strike rate of 53.62 during the purple patch of his career between late 2019 and early 2023, compared to 43.84 since.
“At his best, I think Marnus can do that,” McDonald said.
“We’ve seen that in one-day cricket also … where his game has ebbed and flowed between finding that balance between putting pressure back on and absorbing.
“There are some real positive signs, albeit in a Shield game at AB Field.
“The method was impressive, the way he was moving back into the ball, hitting the ball back down the ground. It felt like he’s close to his best.”
AAP
