Performance of the Week 30 December - 5 January

Marnus Labuschagne

215(363)

It's tough to say it but, Australia are scarily good at the moment. Five home games, five huge victories. And the biggest factor in that is not Steve Smith. It's Marnus Labuschagne. Scoring 896 runs at an average of 112, Labuschagne has progressed from concussion sub, to Steve Smith lookalike, to better than Steve Smith. His 215 vs a wilting, exasperated New Zealand side was the sweet icing on the phenomenal cake. In this particular innings, Marnus reached three figures off 163 balls and reached his first double off 346 deliveries, with a nick to third man. With 4 hundreds and 3 fifties in his last 8 innings, Labuschagne has failed to pass 50 once, at Melbourne, where he made 19. Australia's number 3 was particularly strong through the leg side, scoring 68 runs through midwicket, and 130 in total through the on side. He had an outstanding control percentage of 92, which happens to be his 2nd highest control percentage (when making a century).

Since joining the side late in 2018, Labuschagne struggled to make any sort of early impact, but in his last 10 matches he has been on top of the world, making centuries for fun. This was just another day in the office for the number 4 batsman in the world. Which is crazy, he should be 1 or 2 comfortably.

The stats

215(363)

19 fours

1 six

SR of 59.22

Control percentage of 92