Action-hungry Marnus can’t get enough of game
A RECENT survey that claimed Marnus Labuschagne had played more days of cricket than anyone in the world over the past year sold him short by missing a game.
That match was held recently, on a day when Labuschagne was teaching young members of his academy at Redlands.
It was too wet to train so they went back to his place and had a game of garage cricket.
“There was about 10 of us and I invited them back to my house and we played a five-onfive garage game,’’ he said.
“Two slips, a keeper, a bowler … the fielding team was the umpire. We have a proper mat we roll out, a nipping ball. I have always said the best backyard games are bowler dominated.
“You want low scores … 12 plays eight. They are the garage games you want.”
A Cricinfo survey released last month revealed no cricketer had played more than Labuschagne’s 129 days in the previous year, including nine Test matches for his country and 21 first-class fixtures for Queensland and Glamorgan.
“It was quite refreshing to hear,” he said. “I thought I played a lot – I did not know it was that much. But I loved it.
“If you field all day or bat all day, who cares?
“I hope my love for the game stays with me for my entire career.’’
Today at the Gabba, Labuschagne will play his 10th Test, in a top order facing a captivating challenge against Pakistan’s young pace battery.
The South African-born batsman is a sponge for information about the game, with his education featuring a memorable morning last year when South African batting great Barry Richards visited Brisbane and offered to take Labuschagne and several other youngsters for coffee.
The meeting was expected to last no longer than 30 minutes but went for several hours.
“It was lovely to hear his views on the game,” Labuschagne said.
“His thoughts were interesting and different. I remember him saying the third man is dead in the game and should come back. I agreed.’’
Labuschagne will be followed in the order by runmachine Steve Smith, who he watches in the same way young golfers study Tiger Woods.
On the recent Ashes tour, Smith’s sage guidance helped the Test rookie fight his way out of several tight corners.
“At Headingley I went up to him when Ben Stokes was going around the wicket and bowling inswingers at me,” Labuschagne said.
“I was like, ‘I don’t really know what to do … what do you reckon?’, and he said ‘just open your stance up, defend it straight and if it’s an outswinger let it go’. It was that simple. Thanks mate.
“The way he started his innings in England was phenomenal. People talked about how he let the ball go but the energy he created from ball one was incredible ... from the other end you thought ‘this guy’s not getting out’.’’
— Robert Craddock