Steve Smith backs Marnus Labuschagne to find runs amid lean patch

Stand-in Australia captain Steve Smith has thrown his arms around Marnus Labuschagne amid a lean stretch of runs.

Steve Smith has gone into bat for Marnus Labuschagne, confident runs for Australia’s No.3 are “just around the corner”.

Labuschagne has not struck a century in 28 innings and averaged less than 30 during the recently finished World Test Championship cycle.

Australia’s next Test isn’t until June, the WTC final against South Africa at Lords, but pressure is beginning to mount on Labuschagne’s position.

Australia’s stand-in captain – who has hit a purple patch himself – has endorsed Labuschagne, referencing his own lean run before the Australian summer.

“I think Marn is similar to me in a way, I think he’s actually batting quite nicely,” Smith said.

“I have said this a lot of times about myself, there’s a difference between being out of form and out of runs.

“We’ve seen Marnus do it, we know he can do it, I don’t think he’s out of form, personally.

“I have watched him train, I have watched him play, a lot of the things he’s done are there.

“A little bit of luck here and there and things can turn around pretty quickly, we know what he’s capable of.

“He knows he’d love to score more runs, we’d love him to score more runs, in my opinion it’s just around the corner.”

Stand-in Australian captain Steve Smith has thrown his arms around Marnus Labuschagne amid a lean stretch of runs. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Smith admits Australia is a difficult side to break into but sees a bright future for debutant Cooper Connolly. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Smith also supported debutant Cooper Connolly after he was dismissed cheaply playing an aggressive stroke in the first innings.

Smith is imploring patience for Connolly, who he says is destined for a bright future.

“We’ve got some pretty good batters in the side at the moment who have done a good job for a long period of time,” he said.

“In this game we wanted some extra batting and a guy who could bowl a few overs.

“I perhaps could have used him (Connolly) for a few more overs throughout but a lot of the bowlers did a really good job too.

“He’s a talented young kid, he’s got a really bright future, everywhere he’s played so far he’s stood up and done a good job.

“It was a pretty tricky time to come out and bat I suppose in the first innings, he was trying to be quite aggressive and trying to get that lead as high as we could.

“He’s got a bright future – there’s no doubt in that.”

Australia takes on Sri Lanka in the first of two One-Day Internationals on Wednesday ahead of the Champions Trophy later this month.

Originally published as Steve Smith backs Marnus Labuschagne to find runs amid lean patch