Ashes 2023: With honours even after Day One Labuschagne wants to let his bat do the talking

Marnus Labuschagne finally found some form with the bat at the Ashes – now he’s hoping there’s no need to make inroads with the ball.

Marnus Labuschagne says he hopes not to bowl in the fourth Test but will turn to his leg-spin if needed.

Labuschagne broke through for his first half-century of the Ashes at Old Trafford as Australia reached 8-299 at stumps on day one, having been sent in after England captain Ben Stokes won his fourth straight toss for the series.

While eight of Australia’s top nine reached 16, none made more than Labuschagne and Mitch Marsh (both 51), with Labuschagne conceding the tourists were “slightly disappointed” that no one went on to make a bigger score.

Labuschagne had been bogged down by a stacked leg-side field from England before eventually being trapped lbw by Moeen Ali.

However, having made just one half-century in his previous 16 Test innings, this was progress of sorts for Labuschagne.

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne reacts as he walks back to the pavilion after losing his wicket for 51 runs. Picture: AFP

“I was happy with my decision making, which has been a part that’s really been frustrating me for a personal side, but I stuck to the process. I felt like we were so close, Heady (Travis Head) and I to getting a big, big, really big partnership together and obviously probably a little bit lazy on that (shot). That I tried to turn it to the leg side and then Moeen got me,” Labuschagne said.

“I think England have done a really good job at when someone’s getting in trying to not give them continuous strike and continuous balls.

“Today when Travis was starting out there that pretty much I think they had a six-three legside field and they were just, you know, Stuart (Broad) was just trying to bowl on the knees and sort of try and get me trapped on the leg side. But when someone’s bowling like that, you’re obviously not going to score very freely unless he misses on the off side. So I think that’s just a tactic to slow down and make you take balls, take balls, take balls and then obviously try and create an opportunity when one presents itself.”

The late great Shane Warne working with Marnus Labuschagne on his bowling at Old Trafford in 2019.

Once a regular part-time option, Labuschagne has bowled just 7.5 overs in Australia’s last 12 Tests however with the Aussies having picked a side without a frontline spinner, Labuschagne bowled more than usual in the nets ahead of this Test.

But Labuschagne – who has added off-spin and medium-pace to his repertoire in recent years – said that ideally he would not roll his arm over.

“Hopefully not because if I’m not bowling it means we’re in a pretty good spot,” Labuschagne said.

“But if I need to bowl I’m always ready, always working on it. I think it’ll be leggies with (their) left-handers and obviously there might be some rough there if the sun continues to stay.

“I think it’s one of those wickets where I think because the wicket’s been undercover for a few days, it didn’t have that really rock hardness and the thatchiness of the grass is spinning. So I think once that wears off, I think the middle of the wicket is going to actually not spin so much. The ends will rough up I think eventually if the weather stays good, but I think it’s actually going to spin less as the game goes on from the good part of the wicket. That’s in my opinion.”