Source : ABC NEWS
Marnus Labuschagne will travel to South Africa for next month’s Test tour of South Africa after being named in a 16-man squad.
There have been calls for the number three to be dropped after more than three years without a Test century, but the 32-year-old has kept his spot for the tour despite being left out of the side for six ODIs leading up to the Test series.
Australia’s men’s team will play three ODIs against Zimbabwe in Harare followed by three more 50-over games against South Africa in Durban, Johannesburg and Potchefstroom before the Tests in Durban (October 9-13), Gqeberha (October 18-22) and Cape Town (October 27-31).
Chairman of selectors George Bailey said a pure focus on red-ball cricket “may be a benefit” for Labuschagne.
“Not shying away from the fact we’d like some more runs from Marn, that’s clear,” he said.
“But we’re also confident he can still make a positive contribution to that squad.”
Labuschagne has never played a Test in South Africa, where he was born and spent the first 10 years of his life.
Big-hitting Cooper Connolly, spinner Matthew Kuhnemann and seamer Michael Neser, another South Africa-born Australian, have been added to the group that contested the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay last month.
Bailey said Connolly, who bowls part-time spin, had been selected primarily for his batting, with Josh Inglis the only other batter in the squad outside the XI from the Bangladesh series.
Both players have traditionally batted in the middle order in first-class cricket.
It leaves the team without a huge number of options for change if the batting line-up continues to struggle.
“Our batting group in its entirety, not just Marn, probably hasn’t been functioning as successfully as we would like,” he admitted.
“But we’ve continued to win a lot of Test matches over that period and that ultimately is the key, scoring more runs than the opposition.”
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
