Marnus Labuschagne's first tryst with the Australian cricket team came in 2014 when he pulled off a fantastic catch as a substitute in a Test match against India at Brisbane. He was at short leg and took a brilliant catch off the bowling of Nathan Lyon but was soon a forgotten figure.
When he was next called up in the aftermath of the ball-tampering row, Labuschagne had made runs in the Sheffield Shield but importantly had an all-round quality with his part-time leg-breaks. In UAE, in his maiden Test series, Labuschagne showed more character with the ball than the bat. Very Steven Smith-like.
Against India and Sri Lanka, he was there in the team but never made a massive impact. Yet, when Smith was felled by an Archer bumper and ruled out of the Lord's Test, Labuschagne was used as the first-ever concussion substitute.
In more ways than as leg-spinners, Labuschagne and Smith share a rapport. They are both ardent batsmen with a fetish for working hard in the nets and they both talk to themselves while batting. But it was his familiarity with England that made Labuschagne the perfect substitute.
Playing for Glamorgan in division two of the County Championship for the first time, Labuschagne had a sensational season this year. He topped the run charts with 1114 runs at an average of 65.52 and was the only batsman to make over a 1000 runs.
Labuschagne cracked five hundreds including a highest score of 182, and in 18 innings made scores of 50 or above five times. No other batsman made more hundreds in the entire County Championship division two this season.
Also crucial to Labuschagne's selection was the way he handled the Dukes ball in the Sheffield Shield. Averaging near 40 in the experimental phase of Shield cricket where they used the Dukes ball, Labuschagne booked his place in the Ashes squad.
Even when Archer smashed a ball into his grill at Lord's, Labuschagne rode the tough spell and ended up making a half-century. With Usman Khawaja out of form, Labuschagne should be a certain starter in the Australian side even when Smith returns to full fitness.
As a defiant middle-order batsman and a handy leg break bowler on days four and five, Labuschagne adds great quality. Add to this, his close catching and all-round ability makes him a three-dimensional cricketer with the ability to play through tough match situations.
His tenacity and resilience in handling Archer should give him an extended run in the Australian middle-order for the rest of the Ashes series.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Glyn Kirk
