Ashes 2021-22 | Test cricket is meant to be hard, says Marnus Labuschagne after England’s resistance

12/10/2021

Marnus Labuschagne acknowledged that Test cricket is a hard grind, after England ended Day 3 of the Brisbane Test at 220/2, after conceding a first-innings lead of 278. Joe Root and Dawid Malan revived the visitors with unbeaten fifties, after they’d lost both openers with just 61 on the board.

Travid Head carried on from his overnight score of unbeaten 112, and was the final Australian wicket to fall as the hosts were bundled out for 425 in their first innings in response to England’s 147. Head’s 148-ball 152 included 14 fours and four sixes, and the left-hander was involved in an 85-run stand with Mitchell Starc for the eighth wicket.

In reply, England lost both their openers Haseeb Hameed (27) and Rory Burns (13) by the 21st over, before Dawid Malan (80*) and skipper Joe Root (86*) led a fine fightback to help the side finish 220/2 at stumps. Australia used six bowling options during the course of 70 overs, with only skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood being among the wickets.

Marnus Labuschagne, who scored 74 in Australia’s first innings, wasn’t surprised with England’s comeback, as he looked forward to an exciting fourth day’s play.

“It’s Test cricket, you never expect any test nation, especially when you’re playing England in the Ashes, to come in and roll over and you’re going to knock them over,” Labuschagne told reporters at the end of third day’s play.

“Test cricket is a grind, it’s meant to be hard, otherwise it wouldn’t mean so much to both countries.

“So for us, it’s just a day at the office and we make sure we come back tomorrow, review our plans, how we bowled today, and come up with some ideas and get those last eight weeks.

“The new ball is crucial. There can be long partnerships and then all of a sudden you can lose bang-bang-bang quick wickets. If we can put that new ball in the right areas and get a couple of wickets with that new ball, it can really turn quickly.”

David Warner didn’t take the field for much of the day’s play. Labuschagne revealed that the opener has suffered severe bruising on his ribs, after being hit on the bowling of Mark Wood and Ben Stokes on Thursday. The scans are said to have shown no break.

“Those two blows to the rib, that’s why he was not fielding today. I don’t really know too much about that apart from that,” he said.