Cape Town Test:<\/b> With so much on the line on the final day of a gripping Test series between South Africa and Australia, Australian cricket great Kerry O'Keeffe feels that Marnus Labuschagne will be batting to play for his career on Day 5 of the Cape Town Test on Saturday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The series is locked 1-1, and Australia need 288 to secure a famous win and keep the No.1 Test rankings. The visitors are without their talisman Steve Smith, as the new-generation batters Cameron Green, Josh Inglis and Alex Carey showed muscle in the first innings. Now with the series on the line after South Africa were bowled out for 387, Australia will want their batters to fire and hand them the series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
O'Keeffe opined that Labuschagne, who has gone without scoring a Test century since 2023, will be playing for his career now in the second innings. \"I think he\u2019s playing for his career in this second innings,\u201d O\u2019Keeffe said, as quoted by foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"He\u2019s been a marvellous player, but he\u2019s in a drought, and they\u2019ve given him a lot of opportunity to get out of it. It hasn\u2019t happened yet.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ex-Australian all-rounder Brendon Julian believed that uncertainty around the batter's future can give him freedom to play in the second innings. \u201cHe\u2019s got an advantage here to go; if they\u2019re going to drop me, I\u2019m just going to go for it. I\u2019m going to play my shots,\u201d Julian told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"He\u2019s looked tentative. He hasn\u2019t looked settled at the crease. I think this is an opportunity for him just to let it go and swing hard. That\u2019s what I\u2019d be doing,\" he added and opined that Labuschagne won't be playing the next Test match. \"I don\u2019t think he\u2019s going to play the next Test match in Perth,\" Julian said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Meanwhile, another Aussie great Michael Hussey has not written the batter off. \"Well, I\u2019d never say it\u2019s the end of his Test career if he doesn\u2019t make runs this time,\" Hussey told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"He\u2019s looked tentative. He hasn\u2019t looked settled at the crease. I think this is an opportunity for him just to let it go and swing hard. That\u2019s what I\u2019d be doing,\" he added and opined that Labuschagne won't be playing the next Test match. \"I don\u2019t think he\u2019s going to play the next Test match in Perth,\" Julian said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> Special Cricket Stories<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n