Marnus Labuschagne has gotten his domestic summer off to a promising start, cracking a stylish century in Queensland’s One-Day Cup series opener against Victoria in Brisbane.
The 31-year-old, fighting to earn a Test recall for the upcoming Ashes campaign, notched a 92-ball hundred at Allan Border Field on Wednesday, receiving support from young gun Lachlan Hearne.
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Earlier in the 23rd over, the Victorians accused Labuschagne of obstructing the field after the Queensland captain inadvertently disrupted a run-out chance at the non-striker’s end.
After defending a delivery from Victorian seamer Mitchell Perry, the right-hander reached for the ball with his bat, potentially looking to prevent the ball from spinning back into his stumps.
However, unbeknown to Labuschagne, teammate Matthew Renshaw had sprinted down the pitch in search of a quick single, with the two batters stuck at the same end.
Rather than attempting a run out at the non-striker’s end, Perry protested with the umpires after retrieving the ball, arguing Labuschagne’s actions warranted a dismissal for obstructing the field.
“This is interesting,” former Queensland batter Ray Phillips said in commentary.
“The umpires are going to have a look at this.
“(Perry) was questioning the fact that Marnus was fiddling around with the ball. Tough call for the umpires there.”
Although it would be difficult to argue that Labuschagne intentionally tried to prevent a run out, the umpires may have deemed he violate Law 37.4, which states: “Either batter is out obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, they uses the bat or any part of their person to return the ball to any fielder.”
Phillips continued: “Labuschagne was fiddling around with the ball.
“Marnus is playing hockey with it
“Leave the ball alone! That’s what the fieldsmen are there for. Let the fieldsmen pick it up.
“Don’t pick it up.”
Earlier this week, Labuschagne revealed he had drawn inspiration from former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, hoping to adopt his ‘see ball, hit ball’ methodology in his push for an Ashes call-up.
“Sehwag was an amazing player and had a great eye,” he told AAP.
“Obviously Sehwag’s method was taking the ball on and just playing it. That’s an element for me.
“That is where I want to get to by the start of the summer, where I am so clear and confident with my technique that there is nothing else I am thinking about apart from seeing the ball, hitting it and trusting my game and everything falling into place.
“That’s the goal. To get there is stepping stones.”
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