Marnus Labuschagne cops backlash over ‘dumb’ act amid Pat Cummins heroics in ODI

Ian Healy has accused Australia’s batters of treating the opening ODI against Pakistan “like a schoolyard” after slamming their tactics and lack of patience in the two-wicket win. Skipper Pat Cummins came to Australia’s rescue with another unbeaten match-winning knock of 32, but the Aussies almost blew an easy victory after collapsing to 6-139 in the 21st over, having bowled out Pakistan for just 204.

Haris Rauf decimated Australia’s middle order, dismissing Marnus Labuschagne and Glenn Maxwell in consecutive balls after top-scorer Josh Inglis (49) fell in the previous over. Labuschagne (16) came under fire after guiding a simple chance straight to a fielder at third man, while Aaron Hardie (10) was clean bowled after trying to square cut a ball on middle stump.

Those dismissals came after openers Matt Short (1) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (16) also fell cheaply, with many of Australia’s batters showing little desire to play an anchor role. Even Steve Smith (44) was angry about getting out hitting a ball straight to a Pakistani fielder, with cricket great Healy slamming the shot-making from the Australians.

“Our shot selection was poor and to me, Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk were playing like schoolyard bullies. The disregard for the conditions wasn’t good enough. The (Australian) bowlers and Mitch Starc said during the innings break that the pitch was two-paced and uneven in bounce. The batters didn’t learn anything from what the bowlers had told them, they didn’t regard the opposition enough… The Australian boys’ egos weren’t able to be put away for even half an hour. Inglis and Smith did it and then Pat Cummins had to do it.”

Australia’s shot selection let them down in general as Short, Fraser-McGurk, Inglis and Hardie all fell in ugly fashion, with Labuschange’s dismissal described as being “dumb” by some fans. But just when it looked like the Aussies would fall to an embarrassing defeat in the first international of the summer, Cummins played the hero once again.

Pat Cummins stuns cricket world with latest batting heroics

The captain stayed cool under pressure to get his team home, making 32 off 31 in a ninth-wicket partnership with Mitchell Starc. Cummins has now made match-winning knocks with the bat during run-chases in two Tests and three ODIs over the last 18 months.

He’s becoming known as a seriously good finisher, and has now rescued his side five times when the chips were down in recent times. He did it twice during last year’s World Cup in India, and in Test wins at Edgbaston in 2023 and Christchurch in March.

The 31-year-old had corrective eye surgery earlier this year, something Starc believes has helped his batting. “Now he’s got his eyes fixed,” Starc said. “We’ve been arguing for a couple years, well, I’ve been arguing that he should be batting above me.

“So he’s cemented that, I hope. But, a fantastic way for him to bring it home. Obviously the intent at the start from the guys (with their batting) was what we’re after, obviously a few too many wickets, but a positive start to the summer.”

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Mitchell Starc breaks Brett Lee record with 100th ODI wicket

Earlier, Starc reached 100 wickets in ODIs faster than any other Australian, breaking Brett Lee’s long-standing record. Starc removed both of Pakistan’s openers – Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique – to set the tone for Australia as they bowled the tourists out relatively cheaply.

The left-armer brought up his 100th wicket in his 54th match – one faster than Lee. He has joined Lee, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne as the only Aussies to reach the milestone. Australia used eight bowlers after Cummins won the toss, with the skipper and leg-spinner Adam Zampa (2-64) the only others to take multiple wickets.

with AAP