Australia coach McDonald backs stuttering Labuschagne
Batter Marnus Labuschagne is still a key part of Australia's future in test cricket despite failing to impress in their five-wicket defeat to South Africa in the World Test Championship final, coach Andrew McDonald said.
Labuschagne opened alongside Khawaja, scoring 17 runs off 56 balls in the first innings and 22 off 64 in the second, with South Africa completing a remarkable turnaround on Saturday after successfully chasing down an imposing 282-run target.
The 30-year-old has scored one hundred in his last 28 tests and has come away with single-digit tallies in four of his last 11 matches.
"He's a big part of the future of the team. Anyone that averages 45, 46 in test cricket at that age is important. We've got older players there that are closer to the end than the start," McDonald told reporters.
"We've got some younger players that are coming in. If he can get his game in good order for the next four or five years, he can underpin that batting order. But at the moment, he'd be disappointed with the returns. He's missed out on big scores.
"But we're confident that he could return to his best and hence why we keep picking him. And at what point do we stop picking him? I think most players across their journey get dropped at some point in time..."
Khawaja also struggled against South Africa, departing for a duck in the first innings and scoring just six runs in his second, but McDonald said the 38-year-old veteran's presence in the team was invaluable.
"He's on contract, he's an important player. He gives us stability at his best at the top. And we like to look at our players at their best," McDonald said.
"No doubt, a couple of failures here and people then start to talk about maybe it's the end. I don't see an end date with the way he's training, the way he's preparing, the way he's moving."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
8 hours ago
- CNA
World Test Championship format needs revamping despite riveting final
LONDON :A riveting World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa went a long way to boost the sagging credentials of the five-day game, but the format of the competition is in need of a revamp, according to many of the game's top observers. South Africa beat Australia by five wickets at lunch on the fourth day of a fluctuating contest at Lord's in which the bowlers dominated the opening two days. A total of 24 wickets were taken, but the tables were turned as wickets turned benign and the batsmen changed the course of the match. It was classic test cricket, as good as the excitement from any limited overs contest, but the overall WTC is a bewildering competition, devoid of uniformity and an unbalanced points system. There was much criticism of how South Africa managed to reach the final without playing either Australia and England in the two-year qualifying period. "It's very hard for the average cricket fan to understand who's the best team in the world and how exactly the top two teams make it to the final," said former England captain Michael Vaughan, now a television pundit. The two finalists are decided by a table of test results, with points awarded for wins and draws. The pair with the highest percentage of points available to them advance to the final, which in 2027 could again be at Lord's or in India, according to International Cricket Council officials. But there was a major discrepancy in South Africa playing only 12 tests compared to 19 for Australia and India, and even more by England (22). "I can't remember if I've ever even given any real time to be specifically thinking about the World Test Championship to be honest because it's utterly confusing," added England captain Ben Stokes. Countries are free to decide how many tests they want to play, and in South Africa's case, there is much less of an appetite for test cricket because they lose money. In the next cycle, which starts on Tuesday when Bangladesh begin a two-test series in Sri Lanka, the new champions will play 14 tests, this time including three test series against each of Australia and England but only two against India. Five test series are now only the preserve of contests between Australia, England, and India. "The fixture list is uneven; not everyone plays everyone else, and some have an easier ride than others," wrote Michael Atherton last week. "Everyone knows the WTC in its present guise is flawed, and that solutions, with so many competing interests, are fiendishly difficult," added the former England skipper.
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Straits Times
Australia coach McDonald backs stuttering Labuschagne
Batter Marnus Labuschagne is still a key part of Australia's future in test cricket despite failing to impress in their five-wicket defeat to South Africa in the World Test Championship final, coach Andrew McDonald said. Labuschagne opened alongside Khawaja, scoring 17 runs off 56 balls in the first innings and 22 off 64 in the second, with South Africa completing a remarkable turnaround on Saturday after successfully chasing down an imposing 282-run target. The 30-year-old has scored one hundred in his last 28 tests and has come away with single-digit tallies in four of his last 11 matches. "He's a big part of the future of the team. Anyone that averages 45, 46 in test cricket at that age is important. We've got older players there that are closer to the end than the start," McDonald told reporters. "We've got some younger players that are coming in. If he can get his game in good order for the next four or five years, he can underpin that batting order. But at the moment, he'd be disappointed with the returns. He's missed out on big scores. "But we're confident that he could return to his best and hence why we keep picking him. And at what point do we stop picking him? I think most players across their journey get dropped at some point in time..." Khawaja also struggled against South Africa, departing for a duck in the first innings and scoring just six runs in his second, but McDonald said the 38-year-old veteran's presence in the team was invaluable. "He's on contract, he's an important player. He gives us stability at his best at the top. And we like to look at our players at their best," McDonald said. "No doubt, a couple of failures here and people then start to talk about maybe it's the end. I don't see an end date with the way he's training, the way he's preparing, the way he's moving." Australia next travel to the Caribbean for a three-test series against West Indies beginning on June 25. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Straits Times
Steve Smith in doubt for Australia's West Indies tour
Cricket - 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final - South Africa v Australia - Lord's Cricket Ground, London, Britain - June 14, 2025 Australia's Steve Smith after collecting his runners-up medal from the podium Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers REUTERS LONDON - Steve Smith will miss Australia's first test against the West Indies in Barbados later this month and could sit out the entire three-test series with a finger injury, captain Pat Cummins said. Smith, one of the mainstays of the Australian team, suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger fielding on the third day of the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's on Friday, missing the rest of the match. He was taken to hospital for x-rays but no surgery was required. However, he faces some time on the sidelines. "I'd say first test maybe unlikely, and then go from there, but it's a bit early to tell," Cummins said after Australia's surprise defeat against a South Africa team that wrapped up their five-wicket victory on Saturday. The 36-year-old Smith was standing far closer to the stumps than normal when he dropped South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, who had scored two runs but went on to hit 66 in a significant contribution to his team's success. Australia begin their three-test series in the Caribbean in Bridgetown over June 25-29 and play the other two tests in Grenada and Jamaica. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
