Marnus Labuschagne’s unbeaten half-century guides Queensland to four-wicket win against Redbacks
Test star Marnus Labuschagne proved the difference against the Redbacks in Brisbane as Travis Head and several hopefuls failed in their auditions for the upcoming Pakistan series. But a couple of young bowlers provided some hope for SA’s future.
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Travis Head says injury-hit South Australia’s young attack was the silver lining in a four-wicket loss to Marnus Labuschagne-inspired Queensland in Brisbane.
Top-order batsman Labuschagne (72) embellished an impeccable case for Test retention in the series opener against Pakistan at the Gabba with an unbeaten half-century.
Resuming at 5-102 and needing 48 to win, the Bulls lost Jimmy Peirson (27) on the final day to left-armer Nick Winter (4/37). Labuschagne held firm in the host’s first win of the season.
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Labuschagne was man of the match but fellow Australian hopefuls Joe Burns, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja and Head failed to land big knocks in pursuit of Test recalls.
Redbacks allrounder Tom Andrews recorded the highest score of the game — 78 in SA’s first dig 221 — to cement a start against New South Wales in Adelaide from November 1.
Winter was the pick of the SA attack with an eight-wicket match haul while speedster Wes Agar delivered on first class debut with 4/30 in the Bulls’ first dig 264.
Queensland slipped to 5-54 on day three with Winter, Agar and Chadd Sayers firing before Test No.3 Labuschagne’s intervention.
“To come here with the guys we had missing is testing our depth. Wes Agar was fantastic on day one to come and adapt as quickly as he did,” said Head.
“Nick was fantastic and Chadd was even though he didn’t get wickets. It is good to get these games into young guys and they got us back into the game. I couldn’t be happier with them.”
One-Test seamer Joe Mennie (hamstring) and gun swingman Daniel Worrall (back) are not expected to recover for the Blues clash.
“It’s a little bit questionable. We will give them time, we know they are class. We showed Wes, Nick and Cam Valente can do a job,” said Head.
The Redbacks are battling a 15-game win-less streak but Head believes his men can hit back with a run of home fixtures.
“We have five home games coming up, had two tough away games. Victoria is tough, Queensland was tough if can do the right things there hopefully that brings some wins that puts us in contention,” said Head.
SA was reduced to 5-55 in its first dig but fought back to make a contest which it has struggled to do in recent campaigns noted Head.
“After lunch on day one in the past we would have potentially dropped our bundle,” said Head.
Seamer Kane Richardson leg-spinner Adam Zampa and keeper-batsman Alex Carey are available for SA’s Marsh Cup clash on Wednesday against the Bulls in Brisbane before leaving for Australian Twenty20 duty against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.