&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'He’s a big part of the future': Andrew McDonald backs Marnus Labuschagne for Ashes despite poor WTC show")
Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald has backed Marnus Labuschagne to get into the Ashes squad despite a poor World Test Championship (WTC) final performance. Labuschagne scored 39 runs in two innings during the WTC final where South Africa beat Australia by five wickets. After the defeat, McDonald was questioned on Labuschagne’s future in the side with a huge Australian summer awaiting as England will come for the Ashes.
McDonald backs Labuschagne
“He’s a big part of the future of the team,” McDonald said of Labuschagne. “Anyone that averages 46 in Test cricket at that age is important. We’ve got older players there who are closer to the end than the start, we’ve got some younger players coming in, and you definitely want guys that have got 60-odd Test matches."
“At that age, he’s really important. If he can get his game in order for the next five years, he can underpin that batting order. At the moment, he’d be disappointed with the returns. He’s missed out on big scores.”
Having narrowed South Africa to 138 in the first innings, and gaining a lead of 74 runs, it was the Proteas who were on the back foot in the match. However, Aiden Markram who was dismissed for a duck in the first innings came in handy in the decisive stage of the second innings as he scored 136 to take his team home.
Australian management is also concerned by Steve Smith’s finger injury as he is likely to miss the opening contest against the West Indies. Australia will start their West Indies tour on June 25 with the first Test taking place in Barbados.
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On the other hand, South Africa became just the fourth team to beat Australia in a major ICC men’s final joining the likes of West Indies (1975 ODI World Cup final), Sri Lanka (1996 ODI World Cup final) and England (2010 T20 World Cup final).
