Marnus Labuschagne says he would have no issue opening for Australia in the Ashes, confident he is now much clearer in his own game than in recent summers.
Labuschagne was denied another chance to bat in Queensland’s Sheffield Shield match with NSW on Friday, with the match ending in an early draw.
After rain washed out the opening day, Jack Clayton’s 113 ensured the Bulls would not have to follow on, before they declared at 8-347 in reply to the Blues’ 7-429 declared.
Sam Konstas was then more patient with the bat, before attacking later in the innings and being caught charging Sam Skelly on 41, before a draw was called soon after.
Marnus Labuschagne walks off the field after being dismissed by Mohammed Siraj at Perth Stadium. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Konstas won’t be there come the first Test in Perth next month, with the 20-year-old almost certain to be given time in the Sheffield Shield to find his game.
Labuschagne is favourite to take Konstas’s spot at the top, in a move that would allow allrounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster to both stay in the team.
Labuschagne has said throughout this summer his preferred position is No.3, while insisting he would be willing to open to get back into the team.
He has done so just twice at Test level, out for 17 and 22 in this year’s World Test Championship final against South Africa before being dropped from the side.
But on Friday he declared he would more than welcome the challenge to open in Perth in three weeks’ time.
“I’d say ‘great’,” Labuschagne responded when quizzed on what he would say if asked to open.
“It honestly doesn’t concern me, I just want to be playing cricket at my best.
“This year I’ve been in in the first few overs a few times. You’re used to it batting No.3, and I’ve batted there probably 95 per cent of my career in both formats.
“So I’m very used to being in early. If I have to open, great. If I bat three, great. Wherever there’s a spot for me I’ll take it and we’ll go from there.”
Forced to watch on from the sidelines in the Caribbean last winter, Labuschagne has since adopted a less-is-more approach to his batting.
The renowned cricket nuffie no longer bats in the nets on match days, admitting he was getting in his own head and thinking too much about his technique.
Small changes have been made to his grip and stance, while he has also put pressure back on the bowlers in his four centuries for Queensland to start the summer.
“Mentally I’m a lot clearer on my game and not getting too much deep thought into certain dismissals or methods,” Labuschagne said.
“It’s not the actual training in the nets, I absolutely love that, I can do that all day.
“But at times I feel like my technique gets in a space where I go home and I’m like ‘maybe I want to do this or maybe I want to go and try that’.
“Now I’m trying to stay out of my own way really and go out there and trust my skills when I get to the middle.”
Meanwhile, Test allrounder Beau Webster has failed again with the bat in Tasmania’s 144-run loss to Victoria in the Sheffield Shield.
Webster made just six as Tasmania, chasing 335 runs to win, were bowled out for 210 on day four at Melbourne’s Junction Oval on Friday.
Victoria remain unbeaten with three wins from as many games, and paceman Fergus O’Neill enhanced his national call-up prospects with a haul of 4-54.
Webster entered the game with heat on his Australian place ahead of national selectors naming their squad for the first Test against England.
His meagre returns with the bat followed taking 1-26 from 12 overs in Victoria’s first innings, and 0-28 from 11 overs in their second dig.
Before Friday’s play, both teams observed a minute’s silence for Victorian teen cricketer Ben Austin, who died after being struck on the head while batting in the nets.
The Tasmanians resumed after losing another Ashes hopeful, Jake Weatherald, for 12 late on Thursday.
And his opening partner Caleb Jewell was the first batsman dismissed on Friday, bowled by O’Neill for 21.
Tim Ward and Brad Hope put on 48 for the third wicket, but their union ended with the score on 107.
Ward, who made a polished 52, was run out in a horrible mix-up – as non-striker, he advanced for a single while Hope stood still after fending a short ball.
Ward was almost three-quarters down the pitch when he slipped while trying to turn, and was still on his haunches when run out.
The Victorians struck again just four runs later when veteran Jordan Silk was bowled for a duck when shouldering arms to a Will Sutherland (1-40) in-dipper.
And Webster departed just 14 runs later when caught from the bowling of Mitchell Perry (2-38), slashing at a wide ball and being caught at deep backward point.
Jake Doran (23) and Nikhil Chaudhary (25) offered some resistance, before Victoria secured victory inside the final hour.
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