A cult corn hero, indigenous gun and a South African make-up Australia’s Test bolters
TWO South African immigrants - one of which went viral in 2014 - and potentially the first indigenous Test cricketer since Jason Gillespie headline Australia’s bolters from the blue.
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TWO South African immigrants and potentially the first indigenous Test cricketer since Jason Gillespie headline Australia’s bolters from the blue.
Fancied all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne spoke only Afrikaans when his family moved to Brisbane from Klerksdorp, South Africa, when he was just 10.
On his first day at school he had no idea what the teacher was talking about when she asked her students to pull out their “rulers and rubbers.”
Labuschagne enjoyed five minutes of fame back in 2014 when he came on as a sub-fielder and took a stunning catch at short-leg off Nathan Lyon against India.
A social media video went viral of Labuschagne mucking around with his housemate in the kitchen cooking dinner and catching a piece of corn as it fell off the bench in similarly remarkable style.
It’s no coincidence that coach Justin Langer has picked Labuschagne four years on for a possible Test debut, because he is an “elite fielder” to go with his insatiable dedication and passion for the game.
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“His work ethic is as good as anyone. He is one of those guys who is like the heartbeat of the team,” said Langer.
Michael Neser too moved from South Africa to Queensland as a 10-year-old and finished last year’s Sheffield Shield season as the competition’s No.2 wicket-taker for the Bulls.
His family owns a game park in Botswana, which has been visited by Queensland players.
Picked by Langer for Australia’s one-day tour of England earlier this year, Neser’s star has been on the rise ever since.
Fellow Queensland quick Brendan Doggett has also been hand-picked by Langer and could make history as just Australia’s second indigenous cricketer after the great fast bowler Gillespie.
Doggett, from the Worimi mob, toured England this year with Cricket Australia’s historic Indigenous XI and has impressed with his scintillating pace – taking a bag of wickets in Queensland’s triumph in the Shield final.
“Brendan is an exciting prospect, a fast bowler with raw pace and wicket-taking ability,” said National Selector, Trevor Hohns.
“He provides an additional option to Mitchell Starc if extra pace is called for, and this is an ideal opportunity to get him involved in a national set-up for the first time after his recent showings for Queensland and Australia A.”
Squad: Tim Paine (capt), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc.
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Originally published as A cult corn hero, indigenous gun and a South African make-up Australia’s Test bolters
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