BGT 2023 | Twitter awes as Shami strikes timber to send world no.1 Labuschagne back to pavilion

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

2218
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There are few better sights in cricket than seeing all three stumps dismantled and spilt on different sides of the pitch to indicate the catastrophe that just struck the batter. Marnus Labuschagne found himself in a similar position on Thursday after being emphatically bowled by Mohammed Shami.

Australia started the fourth Border Gavaskar Trophy Test in Ahmedabad on Thursday on the front foot as openers Travis Head and Usman Khawaja put up a flamboyant 61-run stand for the first wicket. The former was particularly impressive for his aggressive 32 featuring seven boundaries but was eventually scalped by Ravichandran Ashwin. bringing the top-ranked batter in the world Marnus Labuschagne to the crease. Boasting a career average of 57.37 ahead of the innings, the 28-year-old has time and again proven to be the most painful sight for any bowling team courtesy of his ability to wear attacks down and pile on the runs like it were backyard cricket.

However, under the sun in Motera, he was faced with the challenge of negating Mohammed Shami, a titan himself with over 200 Test wickets to his name. On a track that kept a bit low at times, Marnus had already looked comfortable against India's spin twin of Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin, facing 18 balls for 3 runs before Shami came into the attack. The pacer bowled the first ball of the 23rd over full and slightly outside off, eliciting a standard-looking block. The next delivery was pitched on a similar length but significantly wider. Sensing an opportunity to score, Marnus attempted to execute a drive through the covers on the half-volley. Yet, in a strange sequence of events, Labuschagne failed to move his feet as they stayed stuck to the crease while still lashing his bat at the SG.

Consequently, the batter never got his head over the ball and his hands were way too far from his body. To make matters worse, the ball just stayed a tad bit low and nipped back in, taking the inside edge of Marnus' bat. As he squatted down in an awkward position, the ball crashed through between his bat and pads and into the stumps to send the stumps cartwheeling and Shami reeling in joy. The sight of the stumps was one to behold for the fast bowler as Marnus instantly dropped his head in dismay before reluctantlybeginning a slow trot back to the pavilion. The wicket mean the pressure was back on the visitors as they just managed three more runs in the next six overs to go to lunch with the scorecard reading 75/2.

Timber!!!!

Bowled him!

Power

Shami strikes

Biggie

Super

The best

Clean bowled

Superb

Wicket!

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