MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE

Labuschagne has an excellent record in Test cricket, and has been a key addition to Australia’s side by protecting Steve Smith from the new ball movement more often than not.

However, Labuschagne has shown a weakness against bowlers releasing the ball from a particularly high point. Against all seam bowling, Labuschagne averages 58, but that falls massively to just 21 when facing bowlers with a “high release”, i.e. above 2.2m from the floor.

England have two bowlers in their squad who release the ball from this zone, in Craig Overton and Ollie Robinson, but Robinson is the more likely to play - and the more likely to challenge Labuschagne.

Only a handful of bowlers in the world (Kyle Jamieson and Jason Holder) release the ball from a higher spot than Robinson, so very few players are more specifically suited to exploiting Labuschagne’s weakness.

The one bowler who Labuschagne did not face in the 2019 series was the man who limped off after less than a day of action - James Anderson.

While Anderson is not at his best in Australia, certainly compared with his record at home, Labuschagne will have to get used to the nuances of facing Anderson and his multiple variations, not unlike facing a spinner in certain respects, in real time.

The Australian No.3 averages a massive 136 against the ball swinging away from him in Test cricket, but just 38 against the ball coming back in if England can dislodge Warner or Harris early, and expose Labuschagne to Anderson’s opening spell, then nobody is better placed to use that swing.