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Marnus Labuschagne answers ODI Snub with a blazing hundred; keeps Ashes hope alive

Akshita Patel

Marnus Labuschagne shows promising form [Source: @kayosports/X.com]Marnus Labuschagne shows promising form [Source: @kayosports/X.com]

Marnus Labuschagne has sent a loud and clear message to Australian selectors that he’s not going anywhere quietly. Just days after being dropped from Australia’s ODI squad, the Queensland batter smashed yet another brilliant century in the Marsh One-Day Cup.

Playing against Tasmania at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field on Thursday, Labuschagne looked unstoppable as he raced to an 89-ball century. 

The 31-year-old reached the milestone with a classy square drive off spinner Nikhil Chaudhary, who eventually dismissed him for 105 off just 91 balls with 8 boundaries and 2 sixes.

Marnus Labuschagne in line for Ashes comeback

Earlier in the match, Marnus Labuschagne had a lucky escape when Chaudhary dropped a tough return catch while he was on 91, a moment that proved costly as the Queensland skipper went on to complete his hundred.

This ton was Marnus’s third century of the summer, following his 130 against Victoria in the One-Day Cup opener and a massive 160 in the Sheffield Shield against Tasmania last week. Both knocks earned him Player of the Match awards, and now this latest hundred has only strengthened his case for a Test recall ahead of the upcoming Ashes series.

Interestingly, Labuschagne’s purple patch comes right after a low point in his career. The right-hander was recently dropped from Australia’s ODI side after averaging just 13.80 across his last ten innings. 

He scored 1 and 1 in the recent series against South Africa, a rough stretch that saw selectors give Matthew Renshaw a chance in the national setup instead. But if there’s one thing Marnus Labuschagne has never lacked, it’s determination. His recent run of form suggests he’s using that disappointment as motivation. With the Ashes around the corner, he’s now firmly back in the frame for selection, possibly even as an opener alongside Usman Khawaja in the Perth Test next month.