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Marnus opener experiment fails after Konstas snubbed with brittle Aussie top order exposed yet again

Admin June 11, 2025

Australia’s gamble to try Marnus Labuschagne as an opener failed on day one of the World Test Championship final after they controversially snubbed young gun Sam Konstas. 

Labuschagne has been in the worst form slump of his career at No.3 and with Cameron Green returning from back surgery, the selectors elevated him alongside Usman Khawaja.

Green slotted in at first drop in yet another new-look top order but the move backfired. 

Labuschagne made just 18 and Green lasted just three balls in making four after Khawaja nicked off for a 20-ball duck.

Fortunately for the Aussies, vice-captain Steve Smith and all-rounder Beau Webster scored half-centuries to salvage the innings after Travis Head was caught behind down leg side on the stroke of lunch for 11.

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Australia have the upper hand after the opening day with the Proteas slumping to 4-43 in response to 212.

Labuschagne lasted 18 overs to at least help take the shine off the new ball but he was never settled at the crease in his new role, the first time he has opened in Test cricket.

The UK Telegraph cricket correspondent Tim Wigmore said Labuschagne looked a shadow of his former imposing self.

“For all his doughty defence, here Labuschagne resembled a cricketer who has long mislaid his best form,””he wrote. 

“Over 56 balls, he displayed little of the proactivity that characterised the brilliant start to his Test career.”

Labuschagne has not scored a century for nearly two years and the 30-year-old, who was once described as having “opening-itis”, got the nod to be Khawaja’s fifth opening partner in 18 months over Konstas.

Since the start of 2023, the Queenslander has averaged a tick over 31 with the bat, after going at almost 60 until the end of 2022.

Konstas, one of the brightest talents in Australian cricket this decade, looms large for the three-Test tour of the West Indies should Labuschagne not be able to recapture form at Lord’s.

Since David Warner retired from Tests in January 2024, Steve Smith, Nathan McSweeney, Konstas, and Travis Head have each joined Khawaja at the top of the order.

A new WTC cycle, after this year’s final, could allow selectors to start fresh with Konstas, who doesn’t turn 20 until October.

Labuschagne wasn’t the only Aussie who had a nightmare start to the WTC final.

Keeper Alex Carey, in his return to Lord’s after the high drama over the Johnny Bairstow stumping in the 2023 Ashes Test, was out reverse-sweeping for 23 to Keshav Maharaj. 

He then dropped a sitter off Mitchell Starc that should have removed Wiaan Mulder, which luckily for Carey, did not prove too costly as the South African first drop ended up getting out cheaply to Pat Cummins.

“I think it was just one of those ones that swung a little bit on him, which can happen with the Dukes ball,” Smith said when asked about Carey’s botched chance. 

“You quite often see the ball go past the bat and swing late. 

“It was one of those ones that just swung a little bit on him and got himself in a bit of an awkward position with where it got to his chest.

“It’s a tricky place to catch behind the wicket sometimes when the ball does that. He’s been keeping so well the last two years. We’re all allowed to drop him every now and again.”

Smith is confident the Aussies are in a strong position and expects Nathan Lyon to come into the game as the pitch deteriorates.

“It might take a bit more spin as the game wears on,” he said. 

“”It’s pretty dry. The seam might go down as the game goes on as well, potentially. 

“The bounce is going to be variable throughout the game, as we’ve seen already on day one.

I think we’re in a good spot, we probably had a few missed opportunities with the bat to try and get a bigger total but I think the wicket’s offered something all day as we’ve seen and we’re in a pretty good position, 169 in front when they’re four down.”

And even if that other ‘old firm’ of Smith and Marnus Labuschagne looked as if it could be on its last legs after perhaps one unconvincing struggle too many from the junior partner, the self-styled ‘home of cricket’ was then left to witness the familiar excellence of Australia’s three-pronged mean, green, pace machine doing its stuff.

Even the egg ‘n bacon-tied MCC brigade in the Long Room, on their very best behaviour this time, couldn’t help but applaud the ‘big three’.

After all, who knows how long Josh Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc can keep up the sort of heroics after eight years working in perfect harmony at the Test coalface?

“It’s unbelievable. Me and (Cameron) Greeny were watching from the slips and gully and it looked like every ball they were going to make something happen,” said an admiring Webster as he got a close-up view of the trio who’ve never been on a losing final in an ICC event when they’ve all been on the same side.

Could they actually be better than ever? Starc was just as menacing as usual while being even less expensive; Hazlewood, coming off a full IPL season, looked fresh and immensely sharp. Cummins was just Cummins, leading from the front, probing relentlessly.

“They’ve done it for a long time, haven’t they?” smiled Smith. “Today was no different. They all bowled really nicely.”

After Australia had struggled to 212, they knew they had to hit back sharpish. “When you know you’ve only got a couple of hours to bowl in the night, you can probably give a little bit more knowing you can have a break afterwards,” said Smith, praising Starc’s 2-10 contribution in particular.

“I looked this up today and kind of forget every now and again, Starcy, he’s played 97 Tests with this one, which is a hell of an effort for a fast bowler. He’s just relentless with his body, a tough character. He bowls through a lot of pain and things like that.

“The three have been great, and hopefully they can come again in the morning and make a few early inroads.”


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