- Australia’s T20 World Cup squad missed out
- Instead, they will play in the England T20 Vitality Blast
- Some call it the greatest of all time
He may have been left out of Australia’s T20 squad for the World Cup in the United States and the West Indies, but you can’t keep prickly Queenslander Marnus Labuschagne away from the highlights for long.
Labuschagne was in with a chance of catching the year during Glamorgan’s T20 Blast match against Gloucestershire in Cardiff on Thursday.
Chasing a target of 141 runs, Gloucestershire were struggling at 4-45 when Ben Charlesworth drove in a full toss from Glamorgan leg-spinner Mason Crane.
Labuschagne sprinted from the front and made a remarkable diving catch, inches from the turf, removing Charlesworth for 10 (8).
Labuschagne stunned Glamorgan supporters with this grab in the T20 Vitality Blast
The Australian missed out on the T20 World Cup side and so he played in England instead
Fans were stunned by the diving effort, with some praising it as the best catch they had ever seen.
‘I can’t remember a better catch. Unbelievable,” a fan commented on the images.
“You can’t keep my boy away from the game,” another posted.
‘This man is a great professional. Some others should study it closely,” another suggested.
Other fans were simply enraptured by the signature Marnuschagne celebrations after taking the catch.
‘What a catch, matched only by the celebration. He’s like an irritable puppy, bless him, said one Glamorgan fan.
“The boys’ enthusiasm is infections… great catch and excellent celebration,” said another,
Labuschagne’s catch was not enough to secure the win, with the Gloucestershire bowler hitting a six off the last ball for the win
Despite the stunning catch, Gloucestershire captain Jack Taylor’s blistering 70 (48) kept his team in contention.
The match reached its climax in the final, with Taylor running out as he chased a second point.
With Gloucestershire needing seven off the last two balls, bowler Josh Shaw came to the crease.
He scored two runs from the penultimate ball, leaving five needed after the last delivery.
Shaw then hit a six over the long-on boundary to secure a thrilling two-wicket win for Gloucestershire.
Labuschagne will have the opportunity to enhance his leadership qualities as captain of the Queensland Bulls this summer
Labuschagne, who previously scored 18 (15), has amassed 119 runs at an average of 19.83 this season.
His catch was the highlight of the match, but Shaw’s heroics on the final ball were the most dramatic.
The loss all but ended Glamorgan’s bid for a place in the final.
Although he missed the T20 World Cup, Labuschagne will have the chance to cement his reputation as Australia’s potential future captain after being named Queensland’s new leader for the 2024-25 season.
He will captain Queensland in the Marsh Cup and Sheffield Shield, while Usman Khawaja will continue to captain Brisbane Heat in the BBL.
“It is an ideal opportunity for Marnus to once again demonstrate his leadership qualities and provide experience at first-class and one-day level,” Queensland Cricket CEO Terry Svenson said.