Oz's best batsman, Marnus, has been trying off spin. He figures it could help QLD, who already have specialists Kuhnemann and Swepson spinning the ball away from RHers.
Marny taking a wicket for Glamorgan:
https://twitter.com/GlamCricket/status/ ... 3704113152 .
Marnus Labuschagne, Oz's best batsman
It'd be time to change the embarrassing title of this thread. Marnus has finished the Ashes with career batting averages to date against English bowlers as follows:
Woakes - 13
Wood - 16
Broad - 19
Anderson 30
His career averages in English conditions against those 4 are:
Broad - 6.5
Wood 11
Woakes 21
Anderson 30.
Woakes - 13
Wood - 16
Broad - 19
Anderson 30
His career averages in English conditions against those 4 are:
Broad - 6.5
Wood 11
Woakes 21
Anderson 30.
Marny made Oz's ODI WC squad! 
Journos wrote that Oz selectors didn't wanna pick him 'cos they reckon he bats as slowly as FTB Smith. But injuries elsewhere opened a space. (Of course, if they're right about the selectors, there was an easy solution... Just drop FTB Smith. The Oz selectors' loyalty to FTB in ODIs is like their loyalty to Warner in Tests. That led to Oz failing to win the Ashes.)
Before the announcement:
"Marnus Labuschagne is facing the prospect of being frozen out of Australia’s World Cup campaign...
Since his recall for the start of the South Africa series, Labuschagne has been Australia’s leading scorer with 349 runs at 58.16 and a strike rate of 93.56. But he has been unable to shake the perception that he bats at too similar a tempo to the returning Steve Smith, and is no longer bowling his wrist spin as consistently as he once did."
(Brettig, The Age)
Journos wrote that Oz selectors didn't wanna pick him 'cos they reckon he bats as slowly as FTB Smith. But injuries elsewhere opened a space. (Of course, if they're right about the selectors, there was an easy solution... Just drop FTB Smith. The Oz selectors' loyalty to FTB in ODIs is like their loyalty to Warner in Tests. That led to Oz failing to win the Ashes.)
Before the announcement:
"Marnus Labuschagne is facing the prospect of being frozen out of Australia’s World Cup campaign...
Since his recall for the start of the South Africa series, Labuschagne has been Australia’s leading scorer with 349 runs at 58.16 and a strike rate of 93.56. But he has been unable to shake the perception that he bats at too similar a tempo to the returning Steve Smith, and is no longer bowling his wrist spin as consistently as he once did."
(Brettig, The Age)
So musta been the selectors nightmare to see FTB Smith and Marny batting together (very slowly) against India. (Of course, there was slow batting after... but slow batting's what you expect when you're 5 down for very little. Not what you want when you're 2 down.)K wrote:...
"... But he has been unable to shake the perception that he bats at too similar a tempo to the returning Steve Smith, and is no longer bowling his wrist spin as consistently as he once did."
(Brettig, The Age)
A commentator (Shastri?) at the time said both FTB and Marny are "reluctant sweepers", "not natural sweepers". Sweeps and reverse sweeps can help keep the score moving, he said.
Against the Dutch, Marny reverse swept fine for 4 and then swept for 6 and 4. So he can do it. Maybe just against weaker bowling?K wrote:...
A commentator (Shastri?) at the time said both FTB and Marny are "reluctant sweepers", "not natural sweepers". Sweeps and reverse sweeps can help keep the score moving, he said.
Mark Taylor added his voice to the "can't play both FTB and Marny" chorus.K wrote:...
N. Hoult:
"If England can break through early against the dangerous Head and David Warner, they will not fear Australia hurting them with the bat. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne can drag an innings down in ODI cricket, with realistically room for one but not both in the same team.
..."
(Telegraph, London)
Marny top-scored against England but blew the chance to put heat on the selectors. He's doing much better than FTB but needed to convert a couple of his innings to centuries. 'Cos he's got the Myth of Smith and selector cowardice/stupidity to overcome.
'Labuschagne has been a standout in the field this tournament and a consistent high achiever even when Australia's efforts where under the microscope during the early losses to India and South Africa.
His three run outs in the World Cup is the equal most and his eight catches puts him third for the most catches among non-wicketkeepers.
...
Such has been Labuschagne's constant threat to the opposition batters in the field so far this campaign, his selection now won't come down to solely his batting. What he brings to the team in the field will also be weighed up.
He executed two brilliant run outs against Bangladesh from efforts that could be classed as no more than half-chances to break both established partnerships.
The first saw stand-in captain Najmul Shanto knock a ball into the square leg area and immediately call for two. Labuschagne was at a regulation midwicket and reached the ball before his teammate from deep square leg. He slid, gathered and released the ball in one motion. The throw was inch-perfect and wicketkeeper Josh Inglis was able to knock off the bails with Shanto at least 20cm short of the crease.
That broke a 64-run partnership and eight overs later Labuschagne was at it again, this time with a direct hit.
Towhid Hridoy dropped the ball onto the off side and called Mahmudullah for a quick single. But he didn't consider who was haring in from cover. Labuschagne scooped the ball up in his right hand and under-armed the ball while horizontal to the ground, sending veteran Mahmudullah back to the sheds.
...
Captain Pat Cummins trusts Labuschagne in the high-traffic fielding positions such as long on and deep midwicket in the final overs of the innings, key spots on the field that can decide the outcome of a match such as Australia's nail-biting win over New Zealand in Dharamsala.
He fielded three of the six balls in the final over including a superb boundary save off the third-last delivery and executing the match-defining run out of Jimmy Neesham off the penultimate ball.'
https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3781490 ... adesh-pune
His three run outs in the World Cup is the equal most and his eight catches puts him third for the most catches among non-wicketkeepers.
...
Such has been Labuschagne's constant threat to the opposition batters in the field so far this campaign, his selection now won't come down to solely his batting. What he brings to the team in the field will also be weighed up.
He executed two brilliant run outs against Bangladesh from efforts that could be classed as no more than half-chances to break both established partnerships.
The first saw stand-in captain Najmul Shanto knock a ball into the square leg area and immediately call for two. Labuschagne was at a regulation midwicket and reached the ball before his teammate from deep square leg. He slid, gathered and released the ball in one motion. The throw was inch-perfect and wicketkeeper Josh Inglis was able to knock off the bails with Shanto at least 20cm short of the crease.
That broke a 64-run partnership and eight overs later Labuschagne was at it again, this time with a direct hit.
Towhid Hridoy dropped the ball onto the off side and called Mahmudullah for a quick single. But he didn't consider who was haring in from cover. Labuschagne scooped the ball up in his right hand and under-armed the ball while horizontal to the ground, sending veteran Mahmudullah back to the sheds.
...
Captain Pat Cummins trusts Labuschagne in the high-traffic fielding positions such as long on and deep midwicket in the final overs of the innings, key spots on the field that can decide the outcome of a match such as Australia's nail-biting win over New Zealand in Dharamsala.
He fielded three of the six balls in the final over including a superb boundary save off the third-last delivery and executing the match-defining run out of Jimmy Neesham off the penultimate ball.'
https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3781490 ... adesh-pune
Against S. Africa, out LBW reverse-sweeping. TV review: umpire's call on hitting stumps.
Hayden was more critical of Marny than Maxy. "That's Maxwell." ..."It's magic until it's not." Hayden said this was what Marny was in the team for. His Test batting. So he shouldn't have got out.
True... Run rate didn't matter. But ya could say the same about FTB Smith's atrocious dismissal later. FTB just lost his mind. Wonder what Hayden thought 'bout that. After the game, Oz's last great batsman, Ricky Ponting, said some of the Oz batters would want to have their time over again.
And Hayden was too easy on Maxwell. With Ponting commentating, TV showed Maxwell's dismissal was identical to his dismissal against India. Same type of bowling (left-arm wrist spin). Same ball. Same shot. Same result.
So only Inglis (and Starc and Cummins!!) passed the test in the Oz innings. Hazlewood told the media it was good practice in spinning conditions for the final. But it's not practice when you're clean bowled by the first ball bowled (Warner and Head)!! Yeah, good practice for Inglis, Starc and Cummins. But not the others.
Hayden was more critical of Marny than Maxy. "That's Maxwell." ..."It's magic until it's not." Hayden said this was what Marny was in the team for. His Test batting. So he shouldn't have got out.
True... Run rate didn't matter. But ya could say the same about FTB Smith's atrocious dismissal later. FTB just lost his mind. Wonder what Hayden thought 'bout that. After the game, Oz's last great batsman, Ricky Ponting, said some of the Oz batters would want to have their time over again.
And Hayden was too easy on Maxwell. With Ponting commentating, TV showed Maxwell's dismissal was identical to his dismissal against India. Same type of bowling (left-arm wrist spin). Same ball. Same shot. Same result.
So only Inglis (and Starc and Cummins!!) passed the test in the Oz innings. Hazlewood told the media it was good practice in spinning conditions for the final. But it's not practice when you're clean bowled by the first ball bowled (Warner and Head)!! Yeah, good practice for Inglis, Starc and Cummins. But not the others.