Labuschagne flat out proving 'like for like' credentials

There are similarities between Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne.

Aside from some fleeting physical resemblances, there's the single-minded obsession with cricket, their devotion to their chosen craft (batting) and their slightly unnerving commitment to the tools of their trade (bats).

But there are traits that set even the quirky Labuschagne – who will forever be known in Test cricket trivia as the man called in to replace Smith as the game's inaugural concussion substitute – apart from the intensely idiosyncratic former Australia skipper.

As Tim Paine, the incumbent captain, noted at his media conference on Test eve at Headingley, Labuschagne is not simply fearless but "is strange – he seems to enjoy getting hit in the head".

In the course of his innings-high score of 74 that occupied more than two and half hours at Headingley, and increased his claims to being a genuine 'like-for-like substitute' for Smith, Labuschagne mercifully avoided any blows to the head.

But he did cop a couple of unpleasant strikes that might have dulled the appetite of a less fixated young man thrown into such unlikely circumstances.

In his two appearances as Smith's shadow – on the frantic final evening at Lord's last Sunday, and the equally daunting first day at a dark and dank Headingley on Thursday – the 25-year-old faced conditions and opposition that no body-double should be expected to confront.

The second delivery he faced at Lord's, from Jofra Archer in the midst of a frightening spell of fast bowling, smashed into the protective grille of his batting helmet.

It was the manner in which Labuschagne bounced instantly back on his feet having been sent reeling backwards on to the pitch that led Paine to make his tongue-in-cheek observation.

On day one at Headingley, after Australia were sent into bat under leaden skies and against a new ball (less than 10 overs old) that was hooping about in the gloom, Labuschagne again stood firm against the onslaught.

Even when a nasty blow from Broad caught him flush in – as the rhyming slang often employed in northern climes such as Yorkshire might describe – the 'orchestra stalls’, and once more sent him sprawling on the pitch, he remained resolute.

It took Labuschagne longer to recover from the hit to the groin than it did to bounce back from the hammering to the grille.

The Queenslander lay on his back, then sank to his knees, and eventually  squatted up and down while drawing deep breaths, while none of the England fielders who had shown such concern for Smith when he was hit on the neck last weekend seemed to share the slightest interest.

Labuschagne had just reached a brave, defiant half-century when the incident happened, and the England bowlers and fielders were doubtless hoping the pain rising through his stomach might also snap his concentration.

But as David Warner - playing his 77th Test match while Labuschagne was in his seventh – noted of the new teammate with whom he has previously shared limited experiences, the youngster is made of the sort of stern stuff from which successful Test cricketers are forged.

"I thought he was outstanding today," Warner said of Labuschagne, after their 111-run third-wicket stand that helped Australia to a day one total of 179 all out.

"He’s just taken the bull by its horns, he’s got that opportunity and he’s working his backside off to reinstate himself into the Test arena.

"And he is doing himself every favour by hanging in and batting the way he is.

"Obviously it wasn’t ideal that Steve (Smith) couldn’t play but he got another opportunity to come out and play. 

"He’s a fantastic player and he has got a lot to offer, and we have seen it first-hand."

Warner was asked if he felt Labuschagne – who made his Test debut against Pakistan in the UAE last October and played his five Tests prior to Lord's while neither Smith nor Warner was available – could command a regular berth in Australia's starting XI.

The former Test vice-captain was quick to point out that opportunity would not come at number four, where Labuschagne has batted his past two innings scoring 59 and 74, because "Steve Smith's there".

But given the manner in which he handled the pace and aggression of Archer and the swing and painful accuracy of Broad at Lord's and Leeds, he will be difficult to jettison when Smith returns.

That is expected to happen for the fourth Test in Manchester that starts on September 4, which means the national selectors might face further restructuring of a batting line-up that underwent two changes for the current match at Headingley.

Despite being thrown into the Ashes fray at short notice and in unprecedented circumstances, Labuschagne has found his feet immediately – except when left flat on the pitch – largely because of his preparatory work.

Prior to being named in Australia's 17-man touring party, the right-hander played for Welsh county Glamorgan in division two of the county championship where he stood atop the leading runs scorers.

Whereas the swinging ball has troubled every other Australian batter during this campaign, with the glaring exception of Smith, Labuschagne has found a way to not only negate it, but to score runs at a decent clip.

As men's team coach Justin Langer noted in the lead-up to the third Test, Labuschagne's willingness to use smart footwork and find ways of negating swing and seam movement on challenging pitches was a trait that won him selection in the touring party.

And in top-scoring for Australia today, before literally falling in unusual fashion, he graphically displayed the value of that tutelage on the English county scene.

"Him coming over here and playing that stint of county cricket, scoring some runs and knowing where his off stump is, I know he has worked really hard on that," Warner said after day one where he also returned to form with 61.

"A few people talk about the ball coming back in and maybe getting him lbw,  but if you look at Steve Smith … they (both) have the right frame of mind where they don’t want to get out.

"They are going to hit the one that comes back in. 

"He (Labuschagne) has worked extremely hard on that, and he has been very disciplined.

"He showed that out there today, he showed it out there at Lord’s as well, he has a lot of fight in him.

“We talked our way through our innings out there, we rebounded a lot of positive comments and he kept telling me about being disciplined and making sure I’m holding my shape.

"Which was great, getting reassurance from a youngster."

If Labuschagne took satisfaction in filling Smith's shoes by top-scoring and playing (with Warner) a stand-out innings while no-one else in the top six reached double figures, he didn't show it as he left the field.

Having failed to get bat on a dipping full-toss from Ben Stokes that he appeared to lose sight of in the gloom, and which sent him sprawling (again) to the crease having hit him in front of his stumps, Labuschagne was defiant to the end.

Even while sprawled on his stomach, he made obvious his disagreement with the decision known and signalled for it to be reviewed as soon as he sufficiently untangled himself to lodge his objection.

When the video technology confirmed umpire Joel Wilson's decision and he was sent on his way, Labuschagne was still demonstrably unhappy at losing his right to continue batting.

Another trait he shares with the runs-hungry Smith.

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Chris Woakes.

First Test: Australia beat England by 251 runs at Edgbaston

Second Test: Match drawn at Lord's

Third Test: August 22-26, Headingley

Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval