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A selection squeeze looms for Australia as they head to Adelaide for the third Ashes Test, as they will look to wrap up the series against England, as per the official website of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The Aussies opened up a 2-0 series scoreline with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over England in Brisbane on Sunday and now have more than a week off before the crucial third ICC World Test Championship contest at Adelaide Oval from December 17. Australia skipper Pat Cummins looks certain to return to the XI for the match, while the hosts will be monitoring the fitness of veteran opener Usman Khawaja and key pacer Josh Hazlewood in the lead-up to the red-ball encounter. Australia may also be tempted to recall experienced spinner Nathan Lyon after he was dropped for the day-night Test in Brisbane, with top-order batter Marnus Labuschagne indicating the selectors will do everything they can to ensure the balance of the side is best suited to the conditions presented in Adelaide. "I'm not a selector, but what I will say is the same way they (selectors) looked at this game, they looked at the game objectively and said what was the best way for us to win this game with all the information we have on pink-ball cricket," Labuschagne noted, as quoted from the official website of ICC. "What plays, what favours it's been (in past Tests). Is it pace or whatever that is or what type of bowler? And then they make the decision," he added. If Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon and do return in Adelaide then there are going to be some unlucky players make way for Australia after the likes of Michael Neser, Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett all impressed at different stages of the Gabba triumph. Neser in particular played a vital role as he picked up a five-wicket haul in England's second innings and the performance came as no surprise to Labuschagne. "To see him take five wickets with an old ball...it was awesome," Labuschagne said. "There was a moment earlier in the season where I was just like, 'Man, I hope he gets his chance, '" he noted. "I saw the writing on the wall there that there's potential and for him to be able to come in and deliver I think there was little bit of nerves that first innings and then to come out second innings and play that role, get a five-for, I was just so happy," he said. "He just keeps delivering and delivering and we didn't see the best of his batting either and I think that's probably the exciting part as well is he's got a lot to offer with not only the ball but that (batting) and his fielding," he added. Labuschagne has been one of the most consistent performers during the first two Ashes Test, with the Australian No.3 having contributed a total of 128 runs and two half-centuries from four innings to be the third leading run-scorer across both sides. The right-hander provided some praise to Australia's new-look opening duo of Jake Weatherald and Travis Head for making his job easier and believes his ability to adapt to the different conditions early in his innings has been the major reason behind his good run of form. "I pride myself on being able to read the conditions and play what's in front of me and what is necessary at certain times," Labuschagne said. "It's been nice to come off the back of momentum and be able to put the bowlers under pressure from the start of my innings," he noted. "I've really enjoyed that but, you know, it's once again, it's each game on its own, trying to read the conditions and read what the team needs," he added. (ANI)
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