Marnus Labuschagne says Australia is encouraged despite an “under-par” performance in the first Ashes Test against England.
The tourists secured a thrilling two-wicket victory at Edgbaston, although Labuschagne and Steve Smith, the star batters, only managed to score a combined total of 35 runs. Ahead of the second Test at Lord’s, Labuschagne emphasized that Australia holds itself to higher standards. He stated, “We aim to surpass that level of play.”
It was the first time Australia faced England’s Bazball approach, and Labuschagne, the third-ranked Test batter, admitted to enjoying watching Ben Stokes’ team in recent months. However, he added, “While it’s exciting and entertaining to watch, ultimately, I would say we performed below the standard expected of our team.”
Labuschagne expressed his thoughts on the team’s performance, highlighting the exceptional batting of Usman Khawaja and the strong contribution from Alex Carey. However, he emphasized that most of the other batters need to improve.
Regarding the bowling, he acknowledged that despite having plans in place, it is challenging to execute them until they are out on the field experiencing the conditions.
Labuschagne mentioned the team’s curiosity about how England would approach their bowlers and admitted that England demonstrated their capability. Looking ahead, Labuschagne pondered how the conditions of the upcoming pitches might affect the game.
Despite winning the first Test and leading 1-0, Labuschagne believed that the team did not perform at their best, indicating room for improvement.
