Forgotten Test star adds new chapter to rapid rise<\/a><\/p>\nMarnus Labuschagne of the Bulls. Photo by Albert Perez\/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Earlier in the 23rd over of Queensland\u2019s innings, the Victorians accused Labuschagne of obstructing the field after the Bulls captain inadvertently disrupted a run-out chance at the other end.<\/p>\n
After defending a delivery from Victorian seamer Mitchell Perry, the right-hander reached for the ball with his bat, potentially looking to prevent the Kookaburra from spinning back into his stumps.<\/p>\n
However, unbeknown to Labuschagne, teammate Matthew Renshaw had sprinted down the pitch in search of a quick single, with the two batters stranded at the same end.<\/p>\n
Rather than attempting a run out at the non-striker\u2019s end, Perry protested with the umpires after retrieving the ball, arguing Labuschagne\u2019s actions warranted a dismissal for obstructing the field.<\/p>\n
Umpires Riki Wessels and Donovan Koch discussed the matter, with Victorian veteran Peter Handscomb providing some input, but the duo ultimately allowed Labuschagne to continue his innings.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is interesting,\u201d former Queensland batter Ray Phillips said in commentary.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe umpires are going to have a look at this.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Perry) was questioning the fact that Marnus was fiddling around with the ball. Tough call for the umpires there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although it would be difficult to argue that Labuschagne intentionally tried to prevent a run out, the umpires may have deemed he violated Law 37.4, which states: \u201cEither batter is out obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, they uses the bat or any part of their person to return the ball to any fielder.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phillips continued: \u201cLabuschagne was fiddling around with the ball, playing hockey with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeave the ball alone! That\u2019s what the fieldsmen are there for. Let the fieldsmen pick it up.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t pick it up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marnus drama in One Day Cup | 01:38<\/p>\n
Following an alarming form slump, Labuschagne was dropped following June\u2019s World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord\u2019s, carrying drinks during the Frank Worrell Trophy campaign in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after the match, Labuschagne declared that runs were currency in his bid to get back into the Test side.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just trusted my game today and it was nice to be playing at my best and trusting my instincts,\u201d Labuschagne said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it always happens at some stage in your career where you are searching \u2026 you get a little muddled and not as clear.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last two months I\u2019ve played lots of games and I\u2019m getting that feel of the game back after three months of not playing.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing else matters but runs. The format doesn\u2019t matter. I know if I am playing my best I will find my way in the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal is to be there for the first Test. The only way you can do that is with performances on the board.\u201d<\/p>\n
Labuschagne also reiterated he would be willing to open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja during the Ashes if required.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care where I bat, if I have to open or bat three,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact of the matter is that when you are not in the team you don\u2019t have the luxury of choosing where you bat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking to SEN on Tuesday morning, national coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that Labuschagne needed Sheffield Shield runs to secure his spot in Australia\u2019s starting XI for November\u2019s Ashes opener in Perth.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s gone away and worked on his game, and I think he\u2019s made some key adjustments,\u201d McDonald said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe proof\u2019s really in the pudding \u2013 is that going to hold up at Shield level? What does the output of runs looks like?<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s very much on the whiteboard, but where he fits is up for debate.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Marnus Labuschagne has gotten his domestic summer off to a promising start, cracking a stylish century in Queensland\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":145142,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[1721,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-145141","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cricket","8":"tag-cricket","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=145141"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145141\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/145142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=145141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=145141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=145141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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