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Labuschagne's Century Drought Hits 48 Innings
28 Oct
Summary
- Marnus Labuschagne's century drought reaches 48 innings.
- Australia reached 90/2 at lunch on Day 2, trailing by 239 runs.
- The winner of the Test series will claim the No. 1 Test ranking.
Marnus Labuschagne's struggles at the crease continued on Wednesday, marking 48 Test innings without a century. This unwelcome record is the longest for any Australian batter in the top four. As of lunch on Day 2 of the decisive third Test against South Africa, Australia had reached 90/2, trailing the hosts by 239 runs after South Africa posted 329 in their first innings.
Spinner Simon Harmer was instrumental in disrupting Australia's start, taking two wickets in his opening over. He dismissed Travis Head for 41 and Labuschagne for a duck, leaving Australia at 58/2. Matt Renshaw remained unbeaten on 27, supported by Cameron Green on 17 at the lunch break, with the pair tasked with rebuilding the innings.
The outcome of this three-match series decider, currently poised at 1-1, carries significant weight. Not only will it determine the series victor, but the winning team will also ascend to the number one position in the Test world rankings, currently held by Australia. The current situation presents a critical challenge for Australia as they aim to overcome the deficit and secure their top ranking.
