Cricket World Cup 2023: Jonty Rhodes back Marnus Labuschagne for semi-final spot v South Africa

Marcus Stoinis was thought to have early edge for Thursday’s World Cup semi-final – but Marnus Labuschagne’s chances have been boosted by a provocative claim from his boyhood hero.

Marnus Labuschagne’s chances of avoiding the World Cup selection axe have been boosted by a provocative claim from his boyhood hero.

South Africa’s Jonty Rhodes, the man who revolutionised fielding skills, claims Labuschagne deserves to be rated an all-rounder on the combined strength of his steady batting plus his nimble, sure-handed, all action efforts in the field.

“Marnus is a class batter, and having his fielding at such a high level, definitely puts him in the league of an all-rounder,’’ Rhodes told this masthead from India.

Labuschagne is in a knife-edged selection batting with Marcus Stoinis for a middle order berth in Australia’s side to play South Africa in Thursday’s World Cup semi-final.

Stoinis’ all-round talents were thought to give him an early edge but Rhodes’ thoughts on Labuschagne’s elevated fielding status balances the equation.

Marnus Labuschagne throws the ball to run out Bangladesh's Najmul Hossain Shanto. Picture: Punit PARANJPE / AFP

When Rhodes was in Australia last season for the South Africa-Australia Test series when the ever-inquisitive Labuschagne spoke to him about improving his skills. His work since seems to have a fresh edge.

“I loved a discussion he had with me and Ricky during that Test series, where he spoke about working on ways to get runouts while fielding at mid-off to the pacers.

“Modern cricket requires you to be able to add an additional string to your bow, unless your skills in your main discipline places you head n shoulders above the competition.

“I think he is an excellent fielder, in every position, Tests and ODI. He is always in the hotspots.’’

Before he moved to Australia from South Africa as a cricket-mad 10-year-old, Labuschagne had posters of the likes of Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock on his wall and a special place for a career-defining photo of cult hero Rhodes.

Rhodes famously flew like Superman in the 1992 World Cup in Brisbane to run out Pakistan’s Inzamam ul-Haq at the Gabba.

The moment was brilliantly caught by the late, great Courier-Mail photographer Jim Fenwick and became one of cricket’s most memorable and widely used images.

It was front and centre everywhere, from the cover of The Greg Chappell Cricket Centre Catalogue to a giant wall at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg … and Labuschagne’s bedroom.

Jonty Rhodes taking a catch at full stretch was a familiar sight.

Labuschagne revived memories of a horizontal Rhodes with a headfirst dive to dismiss Mahmudullah in Australia’s World Cup win over Bangladesh on Saturday.

It was one of two brilliant run outs he managed. The other was a remarkable, slide, pick up, turn and throw to pick off Najmul Hossain Shanto.

Superman had become Supermarn.

In a way it’s appropriate Labuschagne and Rhodes are linked together because they are cut from the same cloth as high-energy, relentless conjurers and scrappers in the field who leave nothing to chance and see run-out opportunities where others don’t.

Rhodes was nowhere near as good a batsman as Labuschagne but he played the same number of Tests as Don Bradman (52) because South Africa always reckoned he was worth 10 runs in the field on top of his so-so Test batting average of 35.

How a bedroom poster inspired a ‘Supermarn’ run out

Some boys have posters of Superman on their bedroom walls.

Marnus Labuschagne instead preferred Jonty Rhodes doing a Superman impersonation.

Two decades later it has gone a step further and Labuschagne is doing his own impersonation of Rhodes impersonating Superman.

Before he moved to Australia from South Africa as a cricket-mad 10-year-old, Labuschagne had posters of the likes of Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock on his wall and a special place for a career-defining photo of cult hero Rhodes.

Rhodes famously flew like Superman in the 1992 World Cup in Brisbane to run out Pakistan’s Inzamam ul-Haq at the Gabba.

The moment was brilliantly caught by the late, great Courier-Mail photographer Jim Fenwick and became one of cricket’s most memorable and widely used images.

It was front and centre everywhere, from the cover of The Greg Chappell Cricket Centre Catalogue to a giant wall at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg … and Labuschagne’s bedroom.

Labuschagne revived memories of a horizontal Rhodes with a headfirst dive to dismiss Mahmudullah in Australia’s World Cup win over Bangladesh on Saturday.

It was one of two brilliant run outs he managed. The other was a remarkable, slide, pick up, turn and throw to pick off Najmul Hossain Shanto.

Superman had become Supermarn.

Jonty Rhodes dives full length at the stumps to run Pakistan's Inzamam ul-Haq during World Cup Cricket at the Gabba in 1992.

In a way it’s appropriate Labuschagne and Rhodes are linked together because they are cut from the same cloth as high-energy, relentless conjurers and scrappers in the field who leave nothing to chance and see run-out opportunities where others don’t.

Rhodes was nowhere near as good a batsman as Labuschagne but he played the same number of Tests as Don Bradman (52) because South Africa always reckoned he was worth 10 runs in the field on top of his so-so Test batting average of 35.

Interestingly, for the first time in his career, Labuschagne’s fielding skills are a significant part of his case to stay in the 50-over team for the semi-final against South Africa as the selectors weigh up the pros and cons of whether he should play instead of Marcus Stoinis.

It’s a desperately tight call and at some stage when discussing it the selectors are duty bound to say “and let’s not forget the way Labuschagne is fielding”.

Big matches often hinge on small moments.

Glenn Maxwell’s double century has become the most inspirational and significant event at this World Cup by a country furlong for Australia but if it’s relatable, everyman motivation you are talking about, Labuschagne’s tournament-long scrap is more appropriate to inspire the common man.

He only got a start in the Cup because Ashton Agar was injured and only held his place for every game because of injuries to the likes of Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Stoinis.

Australia knows that if it drops him there might just be an electric edge missing in the field.

It would be a major call.

Originally published as Cricket World Cup 2023: Jonty Rhodes back Marnus Labuschagne for semi-final spot v South Africa