Marnus Labuschagne was not picked in the initial playing XI by the Australian management when they clashed against South Africa in the first of the 5 ODIs in Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein on September 8, 2023.
Mitchell Marsh, stand-in Australia captain, won the toss and chose to bowl first and his bowlers did the job on a pitch that assisted them. Only Temba Bavuma (114*) and Marco Jansen (32) made substantial runs as South Africa posted 222 runs on the board.
Bavuma carried his bat through the innings, becoming only the second Proteas batter to do so after Herschelle Gibbs. Josh Hazlewood picked three wickets for Australia, while Stoinis picked two.
In response, Kagiso Rabada and Gerald Coetzee breathed fire in defense of a small total and Australia found themselves in trouble at 93/6.
Marnus Labuschagne was at the crease after he replaced Cameron Green as a concussion substitute. The all-rounder was pinged on his helmet by Kagiso Rabada and had gone off the field for treatment.
Labuschagne, with Ashton Agar, added an unbeaten 112 runs for the 8th wicket partnership to take Australia home in 40.2 overs with three wickets in hand.
Labuschagne made 80* in 93 balls with 8 fours, while Agar made 48* with 3 fours and 1 six, to help Australia go 1-0 up in the series.
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Following his match-winning half-century against South Africa in the first ODI, Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne revealed how his mother had a belief that he would feature in the match despite him not being in the playing XI.
"She stayed for the whole game … she was adamant when I came here that I was going to play this game and I told her 'I have seen the team, mum, I am not in the team'. She just had a feeling, and once again she's right," Labuschagne recalled in the post-match presentation as quoted by cricket.com.au.
The batter revealed that he has been training well, something he is proud of and makes sure he is ready always.
"The opportunity that happens when you are a concussion sub is sometimes a little bit of a free hit because the pressure of the game is out there but the expectation is probably not as much on you. I have been disappointed with how I have played my one-day cricket, the last 10 to 12 games I felt like I have not shown the intensity and the courage that I would have liked," Labuschagne said.
He admitted that he was not too shocked after being omitted from the original squad for the South Africa tour and the World Cup 2023 and understood why he was out.
"I was not too shocked when I was dropped, I said to the selectors (that) 'I understand, I haven't made runs. When I came back from the Ashes, I went back to the drawing board and thought about what I wanted to improve in my one-day game. I still want to be that person batting in the middle order, and you have just got to sit tight and wait for your opportunity and when it comes, you have got to be ready," he added.
In 18 ODIs since 2022, Labuschagne has scored just 454 runs at an average of 30.26, with just four fifties in 17 innings.
(ANI inputs)
