After winning the first Test of the Ashes 2023 at Edgbaston by two wickets, Australia have begun preparing for the second game as they were seen sweating it out on Saturday, June 24 in a net session. The session, which was meant only for the players who had missed the first Test, was also attended by star batters Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith who had a rare failure in both innings of the first Test.
Both Smith (16 and 6) and Labuschagne (0 and 13) accumulated 35 runs between them during the first game as opener Usman Khawaja (141 and 65) starred with the bat for Australia. After the victory, Australian Head Coach Andrew McDonald said that it was a big positive for the team that they managed to win without two of their best players performing.
However, going ahead in the series, the Pat Cummins-led side will require significant contributions from both to win their first Ashes series in England since 2001.
Talking about Labuschagne’s failure in the first Test, Australia, batting coach Michael Di Venuto said that it was a brief trigger moment that made him play at a widish delivery.
"I hadn't seen what happened in the first Test, I hadn't seen that. And it certainly didn't happen the week before at The Oval. Whatever it was, hopefully it was brief and he can get back to normal this week,” Di Venuto was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Speaking further about Smith and Labuschagne, Di Venuto said that they’re their own best coaches and great problem solvers.
"Marn is his best coach. The same as Smudge [Smith]. They are their own best coaches. They are great problem solvers, and that is why they have been such great players for Australia for a period of time,” he added.
Labuschange's return to Lord's
Notably, Labuschagne will be back at Lord’s for the second Test, where he turned his career around during the Ashes 2019 after coming in as Smith’s concussion substitute. Since then he has become a vital cog in the Australian batting line-up scoring ten Test centuries and averaging above 60 during the period.
However, the 29-year-old is going through a rough patch as he has scored just two half-centuries in his last 17 innings at an average of 33.14. Furthermore, he has been dethroned as the World’s No 1 Test batter by Joe Root in the recent ICC men's Test batting rankings update.
On the other hand, Smith had a rare failure in the first game after scoring a hundred against India in the World Test Championship 2023 final at The Oval. The duo is determined to turn things around in the second Test which begins on Wednesday, June 28.
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