Third Test, Cape Town (Day Two of Day Five)
South Africa 329: Ackerman 95; Starch 6-72
Australia 330-4: English 85*; Jansen 2-37
Australia lead by one run
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Marnus Labuschagne has been front and center for an era of Australian cricket.
Chirping, chewing and bat in hand, he often idolizes and imitates teammate Steve Smith.
Smith was ruled out of the thrilling deciding Test against South Africa with a neck injury.
Without him, Australia wanted the number three to party at the lounge where he stayed forever on the second day in Cape Town.
The 32-year-old has made five deliveries and failed to score a single goal.
Labuschagne failed to score a Test century for the 48th time in a row – a new record for the number of consecutive innings that an innings batsman has waited to reach three figures in Australia’s top four.
“It’s never going to break,” former Australian quick Jason Gillespie told the ABC.
“I say that because, respectfully, I don’t think anyone will ever be given that much time again.”
There was a time when Labuschagne averaged 65 in Test cricket, from entering the 2019 Ashes as a concussion replacement to the end of England’s next quest to win back the urn.
Repeat that in a Test career and only Sir Donald Bradman’s 99.94 will be ahead.
Instead, since his last Test century at Old Trafford in 2023, he has averaged 24.77.
Labuschagne may get another chance in this Test if Australia fail to rally from a one-run lead of 330-4 and drop South Africa before reigning again.
Even that may not be enough.
“I just feel like it’s too far now,” Gillespie said. “It’s a very large sample size. Australia is at a point where it needs to look elsewhere.”
Labuschagne’s technique became porous again and again as his collapse progressed.
In August, one of Australia’s number three predecessors, the great Ricky Ponting, called for the ax to fall.
“He can’t score off the back foot,” Ponting said.
Batting beautifully in three or four overs in this series, he batted only to give it away after reaching 30, where he was stuck at the crease, played a full ball and nicked spinner Simon Harmer to slip.
“It’s nerves and the pressure the voters have put him under for a long time,” former Australian Simon Katich said on SEN Radio.
“They put him in this situation by not deciding to breathe.”
It felt like all of Labuschagne’s problems were coming together.