'He Hasn't Looked Himself' - Aussie Great Reflects on Marnus Labuschagne's Form
Marnus Labuschagne is in the middle of an horrible Ashes (Source: AP Photo)
Former Australia cricketer Damien Fleming opined on Marnus Labuschange's dreadful Ashes form as he believes that the star Aussie batter is fighting a battle with himself.
Leading into the series, Australia had high hopes from Labuschagne, who scored 353 runs at an average of 50.43 the last time the Ashes took place in England. However, the 29-year-old has failed in replicating such a performance for his team in the previous three Tests.
Stating that the pitch at Headingley did not have a great deal of assistance for the spinners, Fleming said that Labuschagne and Steve Smith's dismissal to England's offie Moeen Ali changed the game in the favour of the hosts.
"Ya, it did (Labuschagne and Smith’s early dismissal creating problem for Australia). There was not a lot in for the spinners. Moeen Ali was really just trying to dry up one end, so that the English quicks could attack from the other end. The Marnus one, he hasn't looked himself in this series. It seems like he is just fighting himself," Fleming said as quoted to SEN SA Breakfast.
Speaking on Labuschagne, Fleming added that though Australia's number three has earned the starts that has taken him to 144 runs in the series so far, he has not been able to put a display of his ability to capitalise on those.
"Getting to 20 and 30 pretty easy but when he gets to that sort of score, it feels like I think he needs to just keep free-flowing and the Marnus we know in the last three or four years, he has been a batting machine really, averaging 55-60. It seems like he is battling himself," he added.
With England finally winning a must-win clash, it will be all to play for in the fourth Test match of the Ashes 2023, starting on July 19 at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester.
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