Former Australian legendary opening batter Matthew Hayden has shared his views on the No.3 batter Marnus Labuschagne’s poor form after his national team’s nine-wicket defeat to Bangladesh on Sunday, August 16, in Darwin.
Speaking exclusively to 7Cricket, Hayden has reckoned that Matthew Renshaw should open while Travis Head is shifted to the No.3 spot with Labuschagne being benched. Notably, the No.3 batter should score only 32 runs in both innings combined vs Bangladesh.
“I think you have to have a stating point. Who are we and where are we highlighting first? Is it one of the openers or is it the No.3 spot? Because the No.3 spot has been a big question. Marnus Labuschagne has been in that sort of form for two years. What’s going to change overnight, not only when we go to Mackay, but what’s going to change come that first Test in the Australian summer in proper?” Hayden said to 7Cricket.
“What I would do I think is put Travis Head at No.3 and then I would start to look for a refresh and a refit at that top of the order. I want some experience at the top. I want to see Matt Renshaw and I’ve been saying this for at least 12 months,” he added.
Shifting our focus to the details of the game, in the first innings, Australia could score only 198 runs as Hasan Mahmud scalped a six-wicket haul. In response, Bangladesh scored 426 runs in 138 overs. Tanzid Hasan Tamim (101) was the top scorer. Josh Hazlewood racked up a six-fer.
In the third innings, Australia could score only 284 runs, with Cameron Green scoring a 104-run knock. In the fourth innings, Bangladesh chased down the target in 14.2 overs with nine wickets in hand.
It’s worth noting that Australia have lost a home Test to an Asian team other than India for the first time in 31 years, since 1995.
