Australia keep faith in Marnus Labuschagne as Test squad for South Africa tour named — Under-pressure batter retains place for three-Test series
George Bailey says tweak to top order may be considered
Australian selectors have stuck with struggling batter Marnus Labuschagne for next month’s Test tour of South Africa, as chair George Bailey admitted he is mulling a return up the order for Steve Smith.
Sixteen players were named in the touring party on Monday, including all those involved in the most recent defeat of Bangladesh in Mackay. Fast bowler Michael Neser, spinner Matthew Kuhnemann and batter Cooper Connolly will join the group for the series starting in Durban on 9 October.
Bailey backed Labuschagne to deliver and said selectors had confidence in him as the incumbent at No 3. “[We’re] not shying away from the fact that we’d like some more runs from Marn [Labuschagne], that’s clear, but we’re also confident that he can still make a positive contribution to that squad,” he said.
“Clearly, there’s potentially a simplification or an ability to focus purely on red ball cricket for him, in the fact that he won’t be in the one-day series leading up to it, so that may be a benefit. I’m not sure around that, but you know Marn, he’ll prepare incredibly well and specifically for this tour.”
Labuschagne was ICC’s top-ranked Test batter in 2023, but has struggled for runs in the years since with his last century coming in the 2023 Ashes. He averaged 25 in last summer’s Ashes, and then had scores of 1, 31 and 4 in the recent Tests against Bangladesh.
The 32-year-old will be competing for selection with Josh Inglis and Connolly, the 23-year-old who has been tipped for a bright future.
A single warm-up match in Potchefstroom will serve as a key opportunity for Labuschagne to find form, but it will also serve as a chance for others to press their claims.
“There’ll be a handful of guys that cross over from the one-day series, there’s seven or eight, I think, that are coming over specifically for the Test tour,” Bailey said. “So I think partly it’ll be about just making sure that everyone’s getting the prep they need to be ready for the first Test.”
Connolly has played one Test for Australia last year in Sri Lanka, as well as matches in T20 and ODI formats. He will be in South Africa for the ODI series prior to the Tests in a squad named last week notable for its omission of Labuschagne.
Connolly scored 216 runs at an average of 31 for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield last season, but has a solid first class record. Over 13 matches, the middle-order batter averages 42.
Bailey said selectors would consider a tweak to the batting line-up, including dropping Travis Head back down the order, and returning Smith to No 3. “They’re all questions that’ll be on the table and that’s probably the consideration, isn’t it?,” he said.
“Any time you do make a move, it’s what are you taking away from where they are performing, and that’s always going to be a question, particularly around Travis. The success that he had at five, but also the success he has had at the top, and what he provides to the structure of the team there.
“I think there are always going to be considerations, Steve has batted at three for a large part of his career, hasn’t done it for a little while and has had success there, so absolutely, that’ll be a conversation at some point.”