‘Pink ball’s a bit strange’: Marnus Labuschagne’s different century

“I think my discipline was very good. I stuck to my process really well … In terms of being fluid and feeling like I’m smacking the ball, it didn’t really feel like that.”

While the comfortable crowd of 24,449 appreciated Marnus’s significant contribution, they were in raptures when home town hero Travis Head brought up his century. It was the biggest first day crowd at an Adelaide Test against the West Indies since 30,121 turned up in 1982.

Marnus Labuschagne of Australia walks from the field at the end of play.Credit:Getty

Labuschagne has been playing against or with Head since they first clashed at an under 12s national carnival and he loves the way the aggressive left-hander plays.

“He’s always been able to change the game,” Labuschagne said of Head. “I’ve played many games against Travis where we’ve got South Australia on the ropes, and Travis comes out and it just changes the game and, all of a sudden, you’re scrambling.

“He’s hitting balls off the top of the stumps and he’s cutting and pulling balls. He’s just a hard person to stop when he’s going because he plays a bit awkward. He sits back low on that back foot and cuts the ball and carves the ball out to that offside. Australian conditions just suit him beautifully.”

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