Bullish Labuschagne’s perfect start as Maxwell blitz in vain

Marnus Labuschagne has kick-started his summer in the perfect fashion, stroking a flawless hundred for Queensland before Glenn Maxwell responded as only he can.

Bulls skipper Labuschagne struck a classy 130 from 118 deliveries in their 55-run win over Victoria in the One-Day Cup clash at Allan Border Field on Wednesday.

Maxwell, who retired from ODI cricket in June, then did Maxwell things as he played a lone hand in the run chase. It was not enough to secure the win, but his 107 off 82 balls included seven huge sixes and entertained to the max.

Labuschagne was watchful early, taking nine balls to get off the mark as Victoria’s quicks found some early life in the Allan Border Field surface. But once he got his innings underway, he looked in complete control, playing with the kind of increased intent he has spoken about since he was dropped from the Test side in the Australian winter.

He finished narrowly short of his career best one-day score of 135 when he holed out to long on off debutant left-arm spinner Callum Stow in the 45th over, but he’d laid the platform for Jack Wildermuth to explode at the death and take Queensland over the 300-run mark.

Wildermuth finished unbeaten on 54 from 30 balls with four sixes as the hosts posted 5-310 from their 50 overs.

But the innings belonged to Labuschagne who leaned into several of his trademark on-drives through wide mid-on off the quicks and used his feet beautifully against Victoria’s spinners Stow and Maxwell, hitting down the ground impressively as well as fine behind square.

From one Maxwell over he took 14, and soon after he brought up a chanceless century from 92 balls – just his second in one-day cricket for the Bulls.

The right-hander’s only brief moment of concern came when he was on 49. Victoria appealed for an obstructing the field decision when Labuschagne defended a ball, stopped it with his bat, and seemed set to pick it up and give it back to his opponents when he noticed his partner Matthew Renshaw haring down the wicket.

As Labuschagne stopped and Renshaw turned and raced back to the non-striker’s end, bowler Mitch Perry collected the ball and then, clearly unimpressed with how the passage had played out, spread his arms to the umpire in exasperation.

The umpires conferred, then gave the batter not out, even as Vics veteran Peter Handscomb continued the conversation.

Labuschagne’s century continues a hot run of form for the 31-year-old, who has scored a pair of 67s (one retired) in the past 10 days in Queensland’s trial matches. He also blazed a 57-ball hundred for club side Redlands in the T20 Max competition just a couple of weeks ago.

The runs have come after the 58-Test veteran reevaluated his approach to training as he bids to return to the national side for this summer’s Ashes.

“I just trusted my game today and it was nice to be playing at my best and trusting my instincts,” Labuschagne said post-match.

“I think it always happens at some stage in your career where you are searching … and you get a little muddled and not as clear.

“The last two months I’ve played lots of games and I’m getting that feel of the game back after three months of not playing, from the (World) Test Championship until now.

“Nothing else matters but runs. The format doesn’t matter. I know if I am playing my best I will find my way in the team.

“My goal is to be there for the first Test. The only way you can do that is with performances on the board.”

While Labuschagne has made his mark as a No.3 batter, he is also open to partnering Usman Khawaja at the top of the order.

“I don’t care where I bat, if I have to open or bat three,” he said.

“The fact of the matter is that when you are not in the team you don’t have the luxury of choosing where you bat.”

Before Wednesday’s match, Labuschagne said he had revealed his training approach as he fights to win back his spot in the Test team.

“I took a step back mentally and had a look at what I wanted to achieve before I then started attacking it,” he told cricket.com.au recently. “I didn’t want to just attack it blindly and go, ‘Okay, I’m just going to train, train, train.

“There’s an analogy – you can try and bash yourself through the wall, or you can just open the door and walk in.

“(That means) train smarter. I’ve always trained hard. So if I can combine the clarity of mind, working with my coaches, working with the people around me to go, ‘Okay, how do we get myself back here?’

“I think all this stems off the back of confidence. If you haven’t got runs for a while, you obviously try and put on the facade that you’re confident.

“But you just want to score consistent runs, spend time in the middle, get that feel of playing, and then the rest just starts creeping back. It comes back pretty quickly from there.”

Everything fell into place on Wednesday for the former No.1 ranked Test batter, who drove the ball with precision, including a majestic on-drive off Will Sutherland that brought up his half-century.

Paceman Michael Neser (3-43) reminded Australian selectors of his class with a masterful exhibition of swing and seam bowling to have the visitors 3-16.

Peter Handscomb (55 off 73) steadied the ship, before Maxwell took over. 

Victoria were eventually all out for 255 in the 47th over, losing their last three wickets for 11 runs to hand the Bulls a 55-run victory.

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