Brisbane [Australia], January 31 (ANI): After the end of the two-match Test series between Australia and West Indies on Sunday, former Aussie skipper Aaron Finch said that the hosts’ batting lineup failed to make enough hundreds.
While speaking to ESPN’s Around The Wicket show, Finch named Marnus Labuschagne and said that one can have bad times at their career in point.
He also showered praise on the Caribbean bowlers and said that they had done a “brilliant job” against the Aussies in the Test series.
“If you have a bad series in two Tests like Marnus [Labuschagne] that’s okay, everyone will have that at some point, but there’s not enough hundreds. There’s a few cracks that have been papered over from Usman Khawaja and the bowlers who have done a brilliant job for a long time.” Finch was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.
In the Test series between Australia and West Indies, Labuschagne had a sloppy performance as he scored only 19 runs after taking part in both matches.
The 37-year-old added that Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Marsh carried Labuschagne’s weight in the Test series. He added that his numbers were not good as a middle-order batter.
“Think the bowlers have been the ones who have got them out of jail a few times, but also Usman Khawaja…and Mitch Marsh is also pulling his weight in that regard. They’re not great numbers for a middle order that I think have got some much talent. The hundreds column is a concern for me. Guys are getting starts, and that’s reflected in the numbers, it’s not like they’re averaging six,” he added.
Recapping the second Test match, the Gabba fortress has been breached again as the Caribbeans clinched their first Test win on Australian soil after 27 years.
Even though Steven Smith stayed unbeaten in the second inning to score 91 runs off 146 balls, but his effort went in vain as the Aussies failed to reach the 216-run target. The fourth day of the second Test match started with Smith and Cameron Green opening for the Aussies, as the hosts stood at 60/2. However, the batters could not make a solid partnership in front of the Caribbean bowling attack.
Joseph made the first breakthrough of the day as he dismissed Green for 42 runs in the 31st over. In the same over, he removed star Aussie batter Travis Head for a duck to take an early advantage.
As the session went on Joseph displayed a lion-hearted performance and removed the Australian top order by dismissing Mitchell Marsh (10 runs from 12 balls), Alex Carey (2 runs from 5 balls), Mitchell Starc (21 runs from 14 balls), and Pat Cummins (2 runs from 8 balls) within 43rd over. (ANI)
