Tigers’ tale grim after dropping Labuschagne
TEST star Marnus Labuschagne still wanted more after he made Tasmania pay for a dropped catch by posting his 19th first-class century and first for the season for Queensland in Townsville.
Labuschagne hadn’t passed 50 in four innings for the Bulls so far this season, across one Sheffield Shield match and two-one day games, in a slow burn to his Ashes preparation, with two singles figures scores among his output.
But he did face a mammoth 179 balls for a hard-fought 45 against South Australia in a drawn game in Adelaide, in a sign the batting-machine was going through his gears and he worked up to full steam against Tassie on day one of their Shield clash.
Dropped by Tigers skipper Beau Webster when he was on just 22, Labuschagne was at his shot-making best, pounding 15 fours and a six in his score of 136.
“I’d much rather still be out there batting. I’m disappointed getting out to that second new ball, ” he said after stumps.
“I’m always asking myself ways to get better, 130s are a good score and you’re not complaining about that but you want to make it into a big 180-plus score.
“They’re the sort of knocks that really put your team on the front foot (and) I certainly want to be making big scores.
“Obviously I missed out the first two games with a really big score, but I was able to spend some time (in the middle) and really found some rhythm out there.
“As a cricketer I don’t think anyone is really satisfied ever, it’s just one of those games.”
His Queensland captain, Usman Khawaja, fresh off what he called his best ever Shield century in Adelaide last week, continued his push for an Ashes call-up, with a halfcentury of his own.
Khawaja was 63 not out at stumps, guiding Queensland to a dominant 3-311 at stumps on day one after former Test opener Joe Burns also made 72.
Labuschagne had logged scores of 32, eight and 45 in the Bulls‘ first two games of their Shield title defence, while he was out for six in a one-dayer against South Australia.
It was a reduced output for a man who averages 60.8 in the Test arena, and an output that wasn’t going to last long.
Unlike most of his fellow Test batters, Labuschagne will have three Shield matches under his belt before the opening Ashes Test at the gabba on December 8.
Former Australian one-day bowler Gurinder Sandhu was called up for his maiden Shield game for Queensland, to face his former side.
The 28-year-old, who played two ODIs for Australia in 2015, is playing for his third state having also represented NSW and Tasmania.
Fast bowler Connor Sully was also included for his Shield debut after playing his first one-day game for Queensland this season.
Tasmania may have rued the decision to rest veteran seamer Peter Siddle.