Labuschagne recreates Mark Taylor’s classic catch against West Indies
ON the 20-year anniversary of his 334 not out against Pakistan, Mark Taylor had another of his classic moments channelled by Australian young-gun Marnus Labuschagne.
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ON the 20-year anniversary of his 334 not out against Pakistan, Mark Taylor had another of his classic moments channeled by Australian young-gun Marnus Labuschagne last night in Abu Dhabi.
Using his groin, a thigh, both knees and a little help from both hands, Labuschagne held one of the greatest juggling short-leg catches of all time in scenes reminiscent of when Taylor once fell flat on his back at slip only to recover by kicking the ball back up with his right foot.
Perhaps the only thing more incredible was the sight of Labuschagne dropping a relative sitter at mid-wicket off Jon Holland to show the freakish fielder is in fact human.
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By stumps, the part-time leg-spinner had three big wickets and was quite simply involved in everything as Labuschagne quickly builds a reputation as Australia’s energizer bunny.
Labuschagne will need runs to fortify his place in Test cricket, but the 24-year-old’s exceptional work in the field in this series has justified the faith shown in him by Justin Langer who sees him as a cricketer in his own image.
The Queenslander’s ability to make something out of nothing started four years ago when he took a diving stunner off Nathan Lyon at short-leg as a sub-fielder against India at the Gabba.
He followed that up a few days later when a mate posted a video – which went viral – of him diving in his kitchen to catch a corn cob sliced off the edge of the bench before it hit the ground.
But Lyon says that as incredible as Labuschagne’s catch off Mitchell Starc might have looked, it was inescapably a fluke.
“That’s one of those ones that can change a game, but I just love the way he told me that he went with the catch without realising that it hit him before he moved,” said Lyon.
“It’s one of those things, it just happens. You don’t train for those.
“Sorry Marnus, but you don’t train for them.
“He’ll tell you that he knew what he was doing but it hit him in the groin and just got stuck between his legs, so Mohammad Hafeez is very unlucky.”
What isn’t in dispute though is Labuschagne’s uncanny knack of being in the middle of the action at all times.
It wasn’t all pretty. He bombed a DRS review off his own bowling and his enthusiasm may have contributed to Peter Siddle burning his, but Labuschagne is a special player who makes things happen and that’s exactly the type of player Langer loves.
He took a superb short-leg catch off Jon Holland on Test debut in Dubai, but saved his most signature moment for last night when he gave his side an enormous lift after losing the toss and being sentenced to an arduous day baking in the hot sun.
The fact Labuschagne was standing so close to the bat with Starc steaming in enhanced the difficulty of his effort.
Starc was getting genuine bounce off the wicket and Hafeez’s clip off his pads went like a tracer bullet into Labuschagne’s groin as he tried to hold his squat pose.
As he went to ground, Labuschagne just managed to control the ball with his left knee and thigh, and a little touch from his left hand appeared to keep the ball off the ground.
Eventually the ball was up to his right knee and wedged between his legs, Labuschagne, completely flat on the ground, finally claimed the catch with one triumphant hand.
David Boon took some spectacular catches for Australia at short-leg and after years of producing a line of batsmen who couldn’t field – selectors have found a multi-faceted cricketer to truly foster.
Taylor’s famous juggling grab was against the West Indies back in 1996.
Australia were so expecting Labuschagne to hold onto the later false shot from Fakhar Zaman off the bowling of Holland, that keeper Tim Paine started running towards him before realising it had simply popped out.
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