Marnus Labuschagne, Oz's best batsman
Here we go with the Bradman comparisons 
:
"... [Labuschagne] averages 62.14, the best since Don Bradman, from 35 Test innings, including six centuries and 12 50s."
It just shows how flat the tracks are.
But he's obviously by far the best batsman in Oz... All Oz batters play on the same very flat tracks. And only the openers can claim to do it at a harder time.
What the media haven't yet latched on to is that he's averaged 80+ since Nov. 2021. It's very likely he'll still be averaging 80+ at the end of this series. The Test pitches in this country are a disgrace. The next two Tests will probably be played on bowlers' graveyards. Good thing there's a second pink-ball Test to end the series... But sadly we saw in Adelaide the pink ball is not swinging any more.
Why is that??? 
:"... [Labuschagne] averages 62.14, the best since Don Bradman, from 35 Test innings, including six centuries and 12 50s."
It just shows how flat the tracks are.
But he's obviously by far the best batsman in Oz... All Oz batters play on the same very flat tracks. And only the openers can claim to do it at a harder time.
What the media haven't yet latched on to is that he's averaged 80+ since Nov. 2021. It's very likely he'll still be averaging 80+ at the end of this series. The Test pitches in this country are a disgrace. The next two Tests will probably be played on bowlers' graveyards. Good thing there's a second pink-ball Test to end the series... But sadly we saw in Adelaide the pink ball is not swinging any more.
Why is that??? 
In the media and on social media:
1. Marny vs. Root.
2. Is Marny just lucky?
3. Marny vs. Flat-Track Bully Smith.
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1. e.g. "That Root can somehow be unseated after his golden 2021 will undoubtedly raise debate over the validity of the computer-generated rankings, but it also serves to highlight Labuschagne’s spectacular form..."
(A. Wu, SMH)
3. e.g. "Labuschagne is not really like Smith outside the superficial squawks and leaves. He is much more traditional in his batting. ... he doesn't play across the line in the way that Smith does. He's not as good against the short ball (at least before Archer hit Smith)."
(J. Kimber, cricinfo)
Huh? Not sure how good Marny is against the short ball, but Smith has always been atrocious at it. Kimber reckons Smith only became bad after Archer hit him... Huh? It's the opposite way round! The Archer hit didn't make Smith bad against short balls. Being bad against short balls led to the Archer hit. If Smith were any good against the short ball, he wouldn't have been hit by Archer. It should have been a totally harmless bouncer. His technique was defective. Atherton pointed it out in the TV commentary at the time. Tendulkar even made a video pointing out Smith's defective technique. (Dunno why he needed a video. It was simple enough.)
1. Marny vs. Root.
2. Is Marny just lucky?
3. Marny vs. Flat-Track Bully Smith.
----------------------------------------
1. e.g. "That Root can somehow be unseated after his golden 2021 will undoubtedly raise debate over the validity of the computer-generated rankings, but it also serves to highlight Labuschagne’s spectacular form..."
(A. Wu, SMH)
3. e.g. "Labuschagne is not really like Smith outside the superficial squawks and leaves. He is much more traditional in his batting. ... he doesn't play across the line in the way that Smith does. He's not as good against the short ball (at least before Archer hit Smith)."
(J. Kimber, cricinfo)
Huh?
Not sure how good Marny is against the short ball, but Smith has always been atrocious at it. Kimber reckons Smith only became bad after Archer hit him... Huh? It's the opposite way round! The Archer hit didn't make Smith bad against short balls. Being bad against short balls led to the Archer hit. If Smith were any good against the short ball, he wouldn't have been hit by Archer. It should have been a totally harmless bouncer. His technique was defective. Atherton pointed it out in the TV commentary at the time. Tendulkar even made a video pointing out Smith's defective technique. (Dunno why he needed a video. It was simple enough.)He's never made a Test century outsde Australia and has made 5 of his 6 Test centuries batting first. He has never made a Test century in the 3rd or 4th innings of a Test, when conditions are less favourable for batting. Indeed, he's only made 535 runs in 16 innings in the 3rd or 4th innings of a Test - he simply cannot be considered even a top 20 Test player. His limited utility and performance outside Australia are telling.
Video of ugly dismissal to Broad in Tassie:
https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_2.13 ... _0.3909%2C$
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You can see the bad Smith influence there... Getting so far outside off and trying to play across the line to leg. Then being bowled around his legs. Falling over just a bonus for England.
https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_2.13 ... _0.3909%2C$
ratio_1.776846%2C$width_1059%2C$x_1%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/
q_auto:eco%2Cf_mp4/2a917d748abe4e77b23b690ba7a86fca2b929dab
[copy and paste as one line]
You can see the bad Smith influence there... Getting so far outside off and trying to play across the line to leg. Then being bowled around his legs. Falling over just a bonus for England.
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Lazza
- Posts: 12836
- Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2003 8:01 pm
- Location: Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Nah stuff batting according to robotic guidelines. Let Marnus bat naturally and play his own game. There is no need to interfere with his batting technique. He will end up being a legend of the game.
Don't confuse your current path with your final destination. Just because it's dark and stormy now doesn't meant that you aren't headed for glorious sunshine!
Lazza, swiping across the line is probably not his natural game. As Kimber says ("He is much more traditional in his batting. ... he doesn't play across the line in the way that Smith does"), he plays a lot straighter than Smith. That's one reason why Marny is much better than Smith when the ball is swinging or seaming.
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Lazza
- Posts: 12836
- Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2003 8:01 pm
- Location: Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Yeah I get that. My point is that if Marnus wants to attempt a few strokes learnt from or influenced by Smith, let him. He might decide that some strokes that require playing across the line if not for him while a few others are. It is all part of his development and growth as a test cricketer. He will be a better batsman for it.
Don't confuse your current path with your final destination. Just because it's dark and stormy now doesn't meant that you aren't headed for glorious sunshine!
Lazza, another bad batting influence of Smith on Marnus is the leave. Smith has this silly mega-exaggerated follow-through after he leaves a ball outside off. His bat (a huge bazooka bat like all modern batters' of course) sweeps right across in front of him, ending up pointing to square leg or worse. Commentators call it the "light saber" leave. Some were claiming this means he's switched on.Lazza wrote:Yeah I get that. My point is that if Marnus wants to attempt a few strokes learnt from or influenced by Smith, let him....
Marny obviously went and copied this silly leave. You could claim it's harmless. From that POV, whatever happens after the ball has passed is harmless. Even then, I wonder if one day Smith'll wipe out his own stumps and be given out hit wicket. But Michael Slater last year (when he was still a commentator) claimed it was a bad thing technically. Slater's argument is that the hips are then rotating anticlockwise. It may be harmless when it's a leave... but if your hips get into the habit of rotating like that, then they might do that when you're playing a shot. Then you might expect sliced cover drives, etc.
Marnus Labuschagne: The spy who came in from the bowled
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/ma ... 5a12c.html
"Labuschagne is still the No.1-ranked Test batter in the world despite scores of 1, 28, 29, 44 and 5 since going to the top of the list. He is meticulous with his preparation at the best of times, but for a series of this significance, multiply that by plenty.
The 27-year-old spent time in Sydney recently working with batting coach Neil D’Costa, the man who nurtured Michael Clarke and Phillip Hughes during their careers.
“We talked a bit on the tactical side … just understanding the tempo of the game,” Labuschagne said. “Making sure you know when to lay low and knowing when to come out and press a little bit more.”
There has been video homework, too, with Labuschagne analysing England’s Tests in Pakistan in 2000, as well as India’s tour here in 2004.
“I’ve been watching a couple of old games,” Labuschagne said. “It was just to get a feel of the wicket and what the scores were then. I know we’re talking a long time ago, but it was enjoyable to watch some of the great players I watched growing up."
..."
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/ma ... 5a12c.html
"Labuschagne is still the No.1-ranked Test batter in the world despite scores of 1, 28, 29, 44 and 5 since going to the top of the list. He is meticulous with his preparation at the best of times, but for a series of this significance, multiply that by plenty.
The 27-year-old spent time in Sydney recently working with batting coach Neil D’Costa, the man who nurtured Michael Clarke and Phillip Hughes during their careers.
“We talked a bit on the tactical side … just understanding the tempo of the game,” Labuschagne said. “Making sure you know when to lay low and knowing when to come out and press a little bit more.”
There has been video homework, too, with Labuschagne analysing England’s Tests in Pakistan in 2000, as well as India’s tour here in 2004.
“I’ve been watching a couple of old games,” Labuschagne said. “It was just to get a feel of the wicket and what the scores were then. I know we’re talking a long time ago, but it was enjoyable to watch some of the great players I watched growing up."
..."
Marnus' track record in Asia is starting to be a concern. After his strange reverse sweep yesterday, his average there from 6 Tests is just 26.4 (in Australia, it is 63.78), with 0 hundreds and just 1 50. By comparison, Smith's after 17 Tests is 47.73 (4 centuries and 8 50s).
In fact, despite Marnus' fine average against England (over 50), he has never hit a century in a Test innings outside Australia. He has 6 100s and 8 50s in Australia from 29 innings. He has played more than half that number of innings outside Australia (17, as I type) but has a high score of 90 (in Pakistan) and 4 other 50s (in England).
Food for thought.
In fact, despite Marnus' fine average against England (over 50), he has never hit a century in a Test innings outside Australia. He has 6 100s and 8 50s in Australia from 29 innings. He has played more than half that number of innings outside Australia (17, as I type) but has a high score of 90 (in Pakistan) and 4 other 50s (in England).
Food for thought.
Fastest to 3000 Test Runs
1. Sir Don Bradman 33 innings
=2. Marnus Labuschagne 51
=2. Sir Everton Weekes 51
=4. Herbert Sutcliffe 52
=4. Brian Lara 52
Fastest to 3000 Test Runs -- Oz
1. Sir Don Bradman 33 innings
2. Marnus Labuschagne 51
3. Neil Harvey 54
4. Matt Hayden 61
Labuschagne fanboys will now call him BradMarny.
1. Sir Don Bradman 33 innings
=2. Marnus Labuschagne 51
=2. Sir Everton Weekes 51
=4. Herbert Sutcliffe 52
=4. Brian Lara 52
Fastest to 3000 Test Runs -- Oz
1. Sir Don Bradman 33 innings
2. Marnus Labuschagne 51
3. Neil Harvey 54
4. Matt Hayden 61
Labuschagne fanboys will now call him BradMarny.