Watch: Marnus Labushchagne’s smoking gestures during AUS vs SA 3rd Test leaves everyone in stitches
The third Test between Australia vs South Africa got underway on Wednesday at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney. Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first on a good batting track. Opener David Warner, who scored a double century in the last game, failed to leave his mark and got dismissed after scoring just 10. Amid all the action on Day 1, a hilarious moment involving Marnus Labuschagne is going viral all over social media.
During his innings, Labuschagne was seen making gestures of smoking towards the dressing room to ask for a lighter. The 28-year-old wanted to burn some fraying material inside the helmet. However, the entire incident left the commentary box in splits as Labuschagne once again showed his quirky side on the field.
Watch the video here:
Running repairs for Marnus Labuschagne! 🚬#AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/IdSl0PqicV
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2023
Coming back to the match, after losing Warner early, both Usman Khawaja and Labuschagne showed tremendous composure and added 126 runs for the second wicket. Khawaja remained unbeaten on 51 while Labuschagne scored 73 as bad light stopped play during the second session. The right-hander has been in terrific form off late as he scored one double hundred and two hundreds in four innings in the Test series against the West Indies. However, he failed to score a single half-century in the first two Tests against South Africa.
Labuschagne is the second highest run scorer for Australia in WTC
Being unbeaten on 73, the Australian star will look to start 2023 in a grand fashion with a hundred. Labuschagne is the second-highest run scorer for Australia in the World Test Championship cycle 2021-23 having scored 1259 runs at an average of 59.95 scoring five hundreds and four fifties to his name. Ever since making his debut in 2018, he has averaged 50+ in four consecutive years in Test Cricket starting from 2019-22.
Owing to his marvellous form, he’s ranked at the 1 position in the Test batters’ rankings having 936 rating points to his name.
Meanwhile, Australia are leading the three-match series 2-0 and will look to complete a whitewash by winning the third Test. This is Australia’s first Test series win against South Africa at home since 2005.
