Marnus Labuschagne’s ceiling...

[sphynx]

So we seem to have reached enough of a data sample size that this appears to not be a flash in the pan...

1000+ runs and the leading test run scorer in essentially his first full year in test cricket in 2019, excellent away series in England only bettered by an ATG series from Smith.

Follows up with the statistically the second greatest 5 match summer in history, short of Wally Hammond by 9 runs.

He’s scored around 3,000 FC runs in the last 12 months....


What are we legit looking at here from a historical perspective?

The new Rahul Dravid? I.e a 30+ ton #3 by the end of his career with a phenomenal technique in most conditions?

What’s his potential ceiling as a player?

 

[Gnske]

He's only half the man Adam Voges was and with about an eighth of the skill.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I hope he doesn't become better than Smith because that opens us up for a plethora of "your best player is a South African" taunts

I'd much rather leave that sort of annoyance with England where it belongs

 

[Spark]

I hope he doesn't become better than Smith because that opens us up for a plethora of "your best player is a South African" taunts

I'd much rather leave that sort of annoyance with England where it belongs

If only there were a simple solution to this problem like not giving a **** about this sort of crap.

 

[honestbharani]

Will be fun to see TJB's posts once Head nails down the #5 slot too.

 

[Coronis]

Well his ceiling is best after Bradman, I would like to see him score a century overseas tho. I’ll be happy enough with another 50+ Aussie batsman not named Voges though.

 

[Daemon]

Fair to say TJB's return to the forum after his ban has been less Ashes 2019 Steve Smith and more David Warner.

 

[vcs]

Did he get banned for his entirely fair appraisal of Wagner?

Harsh.

 

[harsh.ag]

Did he get banned for his entirely fair appraisal of Wagner?

Harsh.

Hey, you don't get to blame me anymore

 

[ankitj]

He only averages 43 in first class so either he is a flash in the pan or he has dramatically re-engineered his game. Which one is it? I have not seen much of Labuschagne myself.

 

[honestbharani]

He always had good attributes for a batsman but tended to get locked up with his backlift and was an LBW candidate. Has eliminated that by working on both his trigger movement and his backlift and is so much better now. Sometimes players can have that one weakness which means they always get out for low scores and don't look so good but can suddenly work on it and become world class coz the rest of their game was always really good. He is an example of that I feel.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Seems faintly insane to think scarcely 4 months ago he was behind the Khawajas, Heads and Wades of the world in the pecking order.

Archer sconing Smith was arguably the best ever blow for common sense in Australian cricket selection.

 

[Test_Fan_Only]

He only averages 43 in first class so either he is a flash in the pan or he has dramatically re-engineered his game. Which one is it? I have not seen much of Labuschagne myself.

He puts his success down to coaching he got a Glamorgan in the English winter that seems to have changed him from a player averaging just over 30 in FC to someone who can dominate at test level. A remarkable transformation.

 

[Coronis]

He only averages 43 in first class so either he is a flash in the pan or he has dramatically re-engineered his game. Which one is it? I have not seen much of Labuschagne myself.

Seems to be the latter considering his county stats and the Ashes performance, if it was only going on this summer I’d be much more cautious with my judgement. When’s our next tour?

 

[stephen]

Seems faintly insane to think scarcely 4 months ago he was behind the Khawajas, Heads and Wades of the world in the pecking order.

Archer sconing Smith was arguably the best ever blow for common sense in Australian cricket selection.

It was literal luck that got him picked. If Smith hadn't been concussed and Khawaja scored some runs in the third test Labuschagne might not have been picked this summer. It's not like he was bashing the door down in the shield.

 

[brockley]

50 test wkts.

 

[stephen]

Labuschagne is averaging 43 with 3 50s and no hundreds in 4 shield matches this season. Given the selectors don't tend to give a huge amount of weight to county runs, Labuschagne really only got this summer because of England, and he only got that due to Smith's concussion. It's a crazy sliding doors type moment.

 

[honestbharani]

Given how much this forum (including me) enjoys dissing him, think its only fair that we chalk up this W to Greg Chappell and his talent spotting ways.

 

[stephen]

Cummins was also a Chappell find.

Turned out the man knows a bit about cricket.

 

[sphynx]

Cummins was also a Chappell find.

Turned out the man knows a bit about cricket.

Yeah, took a man of immense skill and a keen eye to pluck a kid bowling 155kph as a 17 year old out of the entire pool of young players capable of that in world cricket.....