In the first Test of the Ashes 2023 series against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham, Pat Cummins‘ team won by only two wickets. Even though they won, it was not Marnus Labuschagne best game at the plate. Labuschagne is one of the best Test hitters in the world, so everyone expected him to play at his best and be one of Australia’s best players in the first game.
But things didn’t go as planned for the 29-year-old, who only scored 13 runs in the game’s first two innings. It’s also important to note that he was out both times because he hit an outside off ball right into Jonny Bairstow’s hands. Stuart Broad, an experienced English pacer, did this.
Labuschagne played a lot in practice before the second Test at the Lord’s Cricket Ground so that he would be better prepared to face Broad in the game. He also spoke up about his work and said that the conditions at Edgbaston were a big part of why he was fired.
“When you get out, you just put the first ball in the bag. Potentially, I thought they were going to come straight at me, but then he got a nice ball that swung in the right area. Because the ball doesn’t bounce much at Edgbaston, it makes you think you can hit it harder, and I just made a few bad mistakes against really wide balls. Some of those deliveries would have hit the eighth or ninth stump, Marnus Labuschagne told ESPN cricinfo.
He’s done his homework. Marnus Labuschagne
Also, Labuschagne didn’t hold back from giving credit to Broad when it was due. The 29-year-old said it was clear that Broad had done his study and was smarter than him.
“He’s now 2-0, so he’s done his homework. That first and only ball I got in the first inning was a very nice ball. I haven’t been up against Stuart Broad when he was really able to turn the ball away. He usually comes in at an angle, but that one swung,” said Labuschagne.
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