No more 'opening-itis': Next man up for Aust at Lord's
Eighteen months after joking Marnus Labuschagne had "opening-itis", Usman Khawaja believes his Queensland teammate can fill the role for Australia's World Test Championship final.
Khawaja is almost certain to have another new opening partner for the decider against South Africa at Lord's, starting on Wednesday.
Since David Warner retired from Tests in January 2024, Steve Smith, Nathan McSweeney, Sam Konstas, and Travis Head have all joined Khawaja at the top of the order.
Smith is locked in to bat at No.4, Konstas is unlikely to play, and Head will come in at No.5 as Australia gun for back-to-back WTC titles.
Khawaja on Monday still joked Labuschagne wasn't over the "opening-itis" that eventually led to Smith being promoted to open for four Tests, but declared every Australian would do what was best for the team.
"Beggars can't be choosers," Khawaja said at Lord's on Monday at a launch for Prime Video's exclusive Australian coverage of the WTC final.
"So you just be humble that you're playing for Australia, and then you take what you get and you make the best out of it.
"At the end of the day, it's a team game.
"I know the best place for me to bat for the team is to open.
"So I'm very happy to open and do my role for the team.
"I'm sure if it's the same for Marnus, 100 per cent I know he'll take that."
The opening dilemma comes at a flashpoint in Labuschagne's career. The 30-year-old hasn't scored a Test century since his 111 against England at Manchester in July 2023.
Labuschagne made some important contributions as Australia regained the Border-Gavaskar trophy last summer, without converting an innings into three figures.
He is undoubtedly the batter under the most pressure in Australia's top-six.
"He's opened before. He started off for Queensland opening," Khawaja said.
"You bat three, I think opening is an easier transition.
"Marnus is a terrific player, so if he gets an opportunity, I'm sure he'll be fine."
This AAP article was made possible by support from Amazon Prime Video, which is broadcasting the World Test Championship final.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
35 minutes ago
- West Australian
Goldfields product tipped for lucrative Italian contract
Goldfields-born water polo star Luke Pavillard is set to continue his decorated career with Pro Recco as the Italian powerhouse looks to bolster its ranks after a long line of departures. Pavillard has been linked to Pro Recco since early this year after an official contract offer. The 29-year-old is not on Pro Recco's 2025 team list and club officials have yet to confirm any incoming reinforcements. However, a European source last week reported Pavillard would be among the star non-European replacements for up to seven departures that include fellow Australian Aaron Younger. Founded in 1913, Pro Recco has won the lucrative Champions League a record 11 times. Pavillard was last year among the best performers in national men's team the Aussie Sharks that finished eighth at the Paris Olympics by scoring 14 goals in seven games. He also boasts a gold medal and a silver medal playing for Australia in tournaments dating back to 2017 and 2022, respectively. The Aussie Sharks have been in the US training with the American team before heading to similar camps in Thailand alongside the Croatian and Serbian national teams. Serbia are the reigning Olympic champions, with the Asian camps considered vital lead-ups for the Sharks ahead of the World Cup that starts in Singapore on July 12. Pavillard took up water polo in Perth during his early teens thanks to the influence of his father Hugh. Hugh Pavillard arrived in the Goldfields in the mid-1980s and was a key figure when water polo was among the biggest participation sports at the old Lord Forrest Olympic Pool. It included a mid-1990s stint on the State League roster of the now-defunct Goldfields Vikings. After the family left the region in about 1998, a young Luke began his water polo journey with the Melville Sharks at the Bicton Baths. He missed selection for the Tokyo Olympics, but moved into the professional ranks with a three-year contract with Barceloneta in the Champions League.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
'Quite happily' - inductee played hard off the field
Imagine the reaction if Max Gawn was serving an AFL suspension and spent the new few days on a trip to Lord's to watch the World Test Championship. Australian Football Hall Of Fame inductee Peter Darley freely admits he wouldn't make it as a player now. Darley gave one of the all-time acceptance speeches at Tuesday night's annual induction dinner. While at times his comments drew an uncomfortable gasp from the audience at the Melbourne black tie function, he was the hit of the evening. His best among several memorable anecdotes was being suspended in 1972 while starring as a ruckman for SANFL side South Adelaide. He was also working in sales for the then-national airline TAA and that gave him first-class international plane tickets. So without his coach knowing, Darley flew to London to watch an Ashes Test. He was at Lord's when Australian bowler Bob Massie took 16 wickets on debut. He celebrated hard on the flight home, but soon after his return had to play Glenelg. "I must have turned on the gas and we went past Glenelg, but after three-quarter time I'd run out of gas and I called the bloody stretcher," he said. "Halfway off the ground the stretcher broke and I had to get up and walk off. "Football was something I did on a Saturday and fortunately I was able to get away with it. I wouldn't today, I tell you." Darley starred in South's most recent premiership, way back in 1964, under legendary coach Neil Kerley. "He had us running through sand hills and I said 'well, that's where I used to take my girlfriends'," Darley said. "He taught (us) how to play as a team, not only on the football field, but he also offered us the opportunity to play off the football field - which I took up quite readily and happily." In paying tribute to his fellow inductees, Melbourne great Garry Lyon was particularly taken with Darley. "I'd be happy to go on a footy trip with Peter Darley - I don't know who you are, Pete, but I like the sound of you,," Lyon said. While Darley and Lyon drew the laughs, AFLW greats Erin Phillips and Daisy Pearce brought the emotion with their acceptance speeches. They joined trailblazer Debbie Lee as the only women in the hall of fame. Phillips and Pearce paid tribute to Lee, while Phillips and her father Greg provided the highlight of the night. They are the first father and daughter to be hall of fame members, with Greg already inducted for his stellar playing career at Port Adelaide and Collingwood. "To Dad, I can't imagine how hard it would have been to tell your 13-year-old daughter that she couldn't play the game she loves any more," Phillips said, her voice breaking. "And 27 years later, she's standing next to you in the Hall of Fame." South Australian goalkicking machine Ken Farmer was elevated to legend status, while modern greats Nick Riewoldt and Luke Hodge were also inducted. Darley joined Tasmania's John Leedham and George Owens from WA as this year's historical inductees. There was a sense of sliding doors for Riewoldt and Lyon. Riewoldt was living on the Gold Coast when he was drafted to St Kilda. Another 26km closer to Brisbane, he would have been in the Lions' recruiting zone at the time. Lyon's father Peter played for Hawthorn, but not nearly enough to earn a father-son selection. Lyon never made a grand final at Melbourne and noted his career coincided with four Hawthorn premierships. "I haven't thought about it much," Lyon deadpanned, while also noting he had a "wonderful, wonderful time" at the Demons.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Labuschagne faces another defining moment at Lord's
Six years after his international career took off at Lord's, Marnus Labuschagne has an opportunity to save his spot in the Australian team. Having not scored a century for nearly two years, Labuschagne has been promoted to open the batting for Australia's World Test Championship final against South Africa. The 30-year-old, who was once described as having "opening-itis", won the battle to be Usman Khawaja's fifth opening partner in 18 months over teenager Sam Konstas. Despite making some important contributions as Australia regained the Border-Gavaskar trophy last summer, Labuschagne remains undoubtedly the batter under the most pressure. Since the start of 2023, the Queenslander is averaging 31.54, after going at almost 60 until the end of 2022. But Labuschagne, and Australia, will be hoping a return to the home of cricket will help bring out his best. An unknown quantity heading into the 2019 Ashes, Labuschagne got his chance when he famously became the first concussion substitute in Test history. After a Jofra Archer bouncer concussed Steve Smith, Labuschagne stepped in to top score with 59 in Australia's second innings at Lord's. The right-hander went on to carve out 10 centuries from his next 27 Tests during a prolific period. But as pitches became harder to bat on in Australia, as well as overseas, Labuschagne's form has tapered. "We love when they're busy and putting pressure back on the bowlers," Australia captain Pat Cummins said on Tuesday of the decision to pick Labuschagne as an opener. "That's our message here to Marnus, opening the batting can be tough but it can also be the best time to bat before the Dukes ball actually starts swinging and there's runs to be scored. "So it's keeping that positive intent, (which) is when he's batting at his best. "With Marnus moving, we thought it's one spot up, it's not too different to batting at three. "He's done well here in England in the past." Konstas, one of the brightest talents in Australian cricket this decade, looms large for the three-Test tour of the West Indies should Labuschagne not be able to recapture form at Lord's. Since David Warner retired from Tests in January 2024, Steve Smith, Nathan McSweeney, Konstas, and Travis Head have each joined Khawaja at the top of the order. A new WTC cycle, after this year's final, could allow selectors to start fresh with Konstas, who doesn't turn 20 until October. But first, Australia need to take care of a hungry South Africa, who are desperate to break a drought in ICC tournaments dating back to 1998. The Proteas were crushed the last time they met Australia, only avoiding a 3-0 whitewash in 2022-23 due to the Sydney weather. "Oh that wasn't a good time in Australia," South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said. "For a lot of us who were there, it was a little bit of an eye-opener. "Playing against Australia, seeing how their batters went about their business, facing their bowlers and how you're always under pressure and you had to find ways to exert pressure back on them." South Africa won seven-straight Tests to qualify for the final, beating the West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. AUSTRALIA: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood. SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (capt), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi. This AAP article was made possible by support from Amazon Prime Video, which is broadcasting the World Test Championship final.
