Marnus Labuschagne’s ceiling...

[TheJediBrah]

Yeah I was saying he was more of a 5 than a 3 during the Ashes but you have tos ay now that he's definitely a no. 3. He handled it excellently in England coming against the new ball in what are the toughest conditions for a top-order batsman, and after this summer it would be a big call to suggest that he's "not a no. 3".

 

[honestbharani]

Okay, why do you think that he looks more like a middle order bat than a top order bat? I think he's a 3 through and through now

Coz his game is more proactive. And he seems like someone who likes bat on ball. Now, don't get me wrong, so did Ponting and he was one of the greatest ever #3s but you still gotta wonder if you did not have a good opening pair, will you really put him at 3?

And I am not saying he is not a #3 or anything, its just that he still strikes me more as a middle order than a top order batsman. He has done very well at 3 now so it is a stupid idea to consider moving him but I do feel long term, he may find more success as a middle order than a top order batsman.

 

[Burgey]

Wasn't any funnier when he said it if that makes you feel better

Actually a very popular post by Forum (though not my own extremely high) standards. That one alone would have more likes than your entire posting history.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Coz his game is more proactive. And he seems like someone who likes bat on ball. Now, don't get me wrong, so did Ponting and he was one of the greatest ever #3s but you still gotta wonder if you did not have a good opening pair, will you really put him at 3?

That seems to fit a no. 3 perfectly doesn't it? Not every first drop has to be a Dravid or Kallis. Conventional wisdom among a lot of coaches and players in my experience is that a more aggressive no. 3 is often what you're looking for, of course ymmv

 

[Burgey]

Coz his game is more proactive. And he seems like someone who likes bat on ball. Now, don't get me wrong, so did Ponting and he was one of the greatest ever #3s but you still gotta wonder if you did not have a good opening pair, will you really put him at 3?

And I am not saying he is not a #3 or anything, its just that he still strikes me more as a middle order than a top order batsman. He has done very well at 3 now so it is a stupid idea to consider moving him but I do feel long term, he may find more success as a middle order than a top order batsman.

He does have that grinding ability though, tbf. I think thre were one or two knocks this summer where he really took his time early on. But yeah, no doubt he likes to get on with it if there's been a good platform laid for him.

 

[TheJediBrah]

He does have that grinding ability though, tbf. I think thre were one or two knocks this summer where he really took his time early on.

Showed that perfectly in England, generally came in at 2-10 with the ball doing all sorts and grinded it out beautifully. He leaves the ball very well, a lot better than Joe Burns who's supposedly an opener.

 

[Kraken]

Coz his game is more proactive. And he seems like someone who likes bat on ball. Now, don't get me wrong, so did Ponting and he was one of the greatest ever #3s but you still gotta wonder if you did not have a good opening pair, will you really put him at 3?

And I am not saying he is not a #3 or anything, its just that he still strikes me more as a middle order than a top order batsman. He has done very well at 3 now so it is a stupid idea to consider moving him but I do feel long term, he may find more success as a middle order than a top order batsman.

Fair enough, mate. I can actually see some merit in this, he does seem to like bat on ball. However, I think out of all the next cabs off the rank batsmen the Aussies have (Pukovski, KPat etc), Marnus is head and shoulders the best 3 out of all of them. It may end be being a slight detriment to himself to bat there long-term, however will be of great service to his country to bat there and allow the aforementioned guys to come into the middle order and keep Australia where they should always be - in the top 2 (minimum) of Test cricket.

 

[honestbharani]

That seems to fit a no. 3 perfectly doesn't it? Not every first drop has to be a Dravid or Kallis. Conventional wisdom among a lot of coaches and players in my experience is that a more aggressive no. 3 is often what you're looking for, of course ymmv

Maybe on certain type of wickets. But yeah, you are right. Its more of a thing in my head that I want a certain type of player to bat 3 and a certain type to bat 4 and a certain type to bat 5. It may well have been influenced by Dravid, just like how your own thoughts may have been influenced by Ponting. I still feel what I feel though. Can't really put an exact reason to it at times.

He does have that grinding ability though, tbf. I think thre were one or two knocks this summer where he really took his time early on. But yeah, no doubt he likes to get on with it if there's been a good platform laid for him.

Yeah, there was that one knock when he was on 4 off 40 or something and then got on with it. He was just so so good to watch this year though. Nothing really seems to stand out about his game and yet he is so so watchable. Guess that is where I get my Mike Hussey comparison to him.

 

[Burgey]

yeah Burns has a real problem leaving the ball, and with getting squared up with that back hip coming through as he's caught on the crease. Annoying.

Better than Marcus Harris and Cam Bancroft, obviously. But still annoying.

 

[honestbharani]

Fair enough, mate. I can actually see some merit in this, he does seem to like bat on ball. However, I think out of all the next cabs off the rank batsmen the Aussies have (Pukovski, KPat etc), Marnus is head and shoulders the best 3 out of all of them. It may end be being a slight detriment to himself to bat there long-term, however will be of great service to his country to bat there and allow the aforementioned guys to come into the middle order and keep Australia where they should always be - in the top 2 (minimum) of Test cricket.

Tangent Alert.

Well, with the amount of money the pig 3 get out of cricket, it is always an underachievement when one of them drops out of the top 3, at least in tests, for me. But it also probably means test cricket is doing better.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Joe Burns is a guy that I'd be pretty confident in saying is more of a no. 5, more so than Marnus

 

[Kraken]

Tangent Alert.

Well, with the amount of money the pig 3 get out of cricket, it is always an underachievement when one of them drops out of the top 3, at least in tests, for me. But it also probably means test cricket is doing better.

Yeah, I do tend to go on tangents quite often. Hasn't gotten me into too much trouble...yet