World Cup Final 2023: How Marnus Labuschagne lived life on the edge to be Australia’s hero
Marnus Labuschagne missed the original squad for the World Cup, then played every game in Australia’s glorious run, but the man himself says he wasn’t even worthy of being in the squad.
Marnus Labuschagne has revealed how he negotiated his wacky ride on cricket’s wheel of fortune to become the accidental hero of a famous World Cup win.
Labuschagne was given a spontaneous round of applause as he emerged through customs at Brisbane airport and cut a cavalier figure as he broke into a jog to greet wife Bec and daughter Hallie who were waiting behind a bank of media.
The recognition followed a bizarre World Cup journey where he was not even in the original squads – the initial expanded one then the final 15 – yet played in every game and starred in the final win over India on Sunday with a patient 58 not out.
In an extraordinary sequence of events it was as if the cricket gods cleared a path for him to play every time his place was in jeopardy but he gave himself every chance by fielding brilliantly and chipping in occasionally with the bat.
Steve Smith’s wrist injury led to Labuschagne being recruited late for the South Africa tour then Cameron Green’s concussion, Travis Head’s broken hand, Marcus Stoinis’ calf problem, Glenn Maxwell’s golf cart accident, Smith’s vertigo and the resting of Maxwell meant Labuschagne never lost his place.
He even beat Marcus Stoinis for a place in the final but until the phone call confirming his spot arrived at 10.15pm on match eve he feared the worse.
“I thought (when I hadn’t heard by) 9.30-10 o’clock at night I might have been done but I am very thankful the selectors stuck with me and trusted me going in to the World Cup final,” Labuschagne said.
“Luckily enough I was able to retain my spot for the whole tournament but there was certainly some close shaves there … people falling off golf carts, Steve Smith not feeling good, injuries and what not.
“Obviously as the tournament got a bit deeper we got closer and closer to having our full 15-man squad available which meant there was good players that had to miss out.’’
For Labuschagne, who made 362 runs at 40 in the Cup, waiting to learn his selection fate was more challenging than the actual games.
“The playing part is just cricket. Once the team is announced you are ready to go. The stuff pre the game is probably a bit tougher but once the game starts you go back to what you know.’’
Labuschagne has no grudge against the selectors for not choosing him at the start of the tournament.
“I wasn’t shattered I wasn’t in the team because I didn’t think I deserved to be in the team. I am a bit of realistic person. I was not performing well enough to be in the team. At no stage did I thought I deserved to be in the original squad.’’
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Labuschagne said Australia’s brilliant and finely tuned game plan in the final to bowl first and keep India guessing with a series of bowling changes was part planning and part instinct.
“It was definitely some really good planning to come up with some options. We wanted to have them five down (at the 30 over mark) and we knew we had to be aggressive if that was the case.
“Our bowlers put in their best display of the World Cup one of the best displays ever. They were absolutely sensational.’’
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