Marnus Labuschange’s fiery battle with Mohammed Siraj simmered for a moment in the first session of day two of the third Test at the Gabba as the pair exchanged some funny banter over the bails.
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Siraj, who later in his spell left the field with an injury concern, was steaming in but growing frustrated of Labuschagne and Steve Smith’s rearguard actions after Jasprit Bumrah sent openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney early.
The right-arm quick, who is public enemy number one after his send-off of Travis Head in Adelaide, bowled the second ball of the 33rd over to Labuschagne, who let it go through to wicket keeper Rishabh Pant, and Siraj continued charging down the pitch and brushed past Australia’s number three.
For a brief moment, it looked like tensions may boilover but it turned out that Siraj was simply bringing some banter to the contest.
He switched the bails over, copying England great Stuart Broad, who used the move during last year’s Ashes series as a way to change his side’s luck.
Labuschagne was having none of it, immediately switching them back when Siraj returned to the other end, and Fox Cricket’s Brett Lee took great delight in the humorous exchange.
Bumrah rips through the Aussie openers | 00:54
“I love this,” the former speedster said.
But former Australian wicket keeper Brad Haddin issued a word of warning to Labuschagne over the “gamesmanship”.
As the mind games were designed the snap the Queenslander’s concentration, and they paid off as he was 10 off 50 balls at the time, and was caught at second slip by Virat Kohli off Nitish Kumar Reddy shortly after for 12 off 55 balls.
“They’re trying to get a concentration lapse from Marnus,” Haddin said after the bail swap incident. “The two batters are starting to look comfortable at the crease and those little moments in play are all you need just change concentration.
“Marnus has just got to get back into his bubble and worry about batting.
“They’re little things that you can’t let break your concentration.”
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