The West Indies believe they have unearthed a “weakness” in Marnus Labuschagne’s batting despite the Australian run machine’s Player of the Match performance in the first Test at Perth Stadium.
Last week, Labuschagne became the eighth cricketer to score a double century and a century in the same Test match, plundering 308 runs against the West Indies to help Australia retain the Frank Worrell Trophy in less than five days.
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The Queenslander was impeccable on the front foot, but noticeably struggled when Antiguan paceman Alzarri Joseph peppered him with bouncers on Saturday morning.
At one stage, Labuschagne awkwardly edged a short delivery into his helmet, with the ball ricocheting towards Shamarh Brooks at gully — but the West Indies’ celebrations were cut short by umpire Richard Illingworth, who extended his arm to signal that Joseph had overstepped.
Regardless, Joseph’s explosive spell created a blueprint for how the West Indies could tame Labuschagne at Adelaide Oval this week.
“We will see his uncomfortable areas, his uncomfortable moments, and we’ll try and target them as much as possible,” West Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick told reporters on Tuesday.
“We were impressed the way Joseph bowled with the new ball in the second innings … I personally think a big haul is just around the corner, a five-for waiting. We know he’s bowling at 140kph, he just has to get it in the right area.”
Unfortunately for the West Indies, Labuschagne boasts an impressive record in pink-ball Tests, scoring three centuries and three fifties in six day-night matches with an average of 69.20.
The 28-year-old has also found success with the bat at Adelaide Oval, averaging 73.80 in the South Australian capital with two centuries in five innings.
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During the Ashes last summer, England all-rounder Ben Stokes bombarded Labuschagne with an endless onslaught of short-pitched bowling in the Adelaide Test to great effect.
The Australian No. 3 didn’t look comfortable, soaking up 37 consecutive dot balls and copping a couple of hefty blows to the body.
Labuschagne eventually gloved a short ball down the leg-side, but wicketkeeper Jos Buttler put down a tough chance diving to his left.
As has often been the case during Labuschagne’s Test career, he took full advantage of the second life, bringing up his century a couple of hours later.
England quick Jofra Archer was unavailable for last season’s Ashes series due to injury, but the speedster is expected to recover from his back stress fracture before the 2023 home summer.
Estwick, who briefly mentored Archer as a teenager, predicted the Englishman would target Labuschagne with short stuff in the 2023 Ashes.
Australian cricket fans will remember how intimidating Archer was in 2019, welcoming Labuschagne to the crease at Lord’s with a bouncer that struck him between the eyes.
“The cricket world is so small you can’t hide and once any team exposes a weakness, the other teams will be having a look,” Estwick said.
“I’m sure Jofra Archer, wherever he’s sitting, will be having a look, ticking some boxes; that’s the way cricket goes. But I’m sure if Marnus thinks he has a weakness, he’ll go away and work on it.”
A talented South African pace attack awaits the Australians later this summer, and Proteas captain Dean Elgar has already identified that the best strategy for bowling to Labuschagne is “the odd bouncer”.
“He is one of the form batters in the world and I am sure there is going to be a little bit of extra spice knowing he is ex-South African as well,” Elgar told reporters in Brisbane on Monday.
“He is a human being and is also prone to fail as well, which hopefully plays into our hands.”
The second Test between Australia and the West Indies gets underway at Adelaide Oval on Thursday afternoon, with the first ball scheduled for 3pm AEDT.
