Marnus Labuschagne rejects Stuart Broad’s claim that Australia’s 2021-22 Ashes win was void

Things are a little different from when Marnus Labuschagne arrived in Kent in 2014 as a 19-year-old to play in the Kent Premier League.

Australia’s number three is now ranked as the best test batsman in the world, so there was certainly a sense of reflection in Beckenham, where Australia trains, on Friday morning when the 28-year-old addressed the press.

“I loved playing for Sandwich Town. It was a great experience and when I look back on it now, it was probably the experience that set me on the right track to start my first-class career,” recalled Labuschagne.

A few months later, Labuschagne would make his first-class debut for Queensland. His stock has skyrocketed since then.

But as for the here and now and what about Stuart Broad’s comments to Mail Sport that Australia’s win in the 2021-22 Ashes was ‘null and void’ given the COVID-19 restrictions placed on players. Like his teammates Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, Labuschagne turned down that take.

“It was a series and Australia, we dominated that series,” he insisted.

“Get everything out and our job is to perform on the pitch. It does not matter what the circumstances are external. And we did,” added Labuschagne.

It was a series where only Travis Head scored more points than him, with his 335 points taking Australia to a dominant 4–0 win in the series.

And there is little doubt that Labuschagne will be one of Australia’s leading men as they look for their first Ashes series win on these shores since 2001.

Unlike most of the side, who have arrived in dribs and drabs over the past week, Labuschagne has been in the UK to play county cricket since April – something he has done every season for the past five years.

With 502 runs at an average of 71.71 for Glamorgan on the domestic circuit this season, the right-hander insists he is ready for the six Tests ahead, including the World Test Championship Final at The Oval against India, followed by the Ashes in the period of seven and a half weeks.

“The back-to-back games really help, playing a lot of (county) cricket with not many breaks in between,” said Labuschagne.

“In Australia we might have a week and a half or even more between games. You go back to training and maybe you got out of it in a way and you start tinkering.

“When you come to England, you know you play from Thursday to Sunday for seven weeks in a row. If you miss a game, you just stick with the same process,” Labuschagne said.

That obsession with scoring points is still there. As well as a sense of unfinished business.

“Mentally, I’m as hungry as ever to score points,” insisted Labuschagne.

“I really feel like we made a mistake last time we were here.”

Although Australia kept the urn, they let England draw the series 2–2 in the Fifth Test at the Oval.

The background of that series from an Australian perspective was filled with questions about the return of David Warner and Steve Smith after their ball tampering ban. Things are much more arranged this time,

“In 2019 we probably weren’t that good in the team. There wasn’t that much stability and we played three or four different bowling attacks in the series. Now there is much more clarity and that ensures consistency’, says Labuschagne.

In a more personal way, he’s now one of the main acts instead of someone trying to find a way in.

“I wasn’t in the mix at all at the time, but it’s definitely a different feeling for me than it is now.” he said.

Since coming into the 2019 Ashes as a concussion replacement for Smith, Labuschagne has gone from strength to strength.

At the time, he earned four consecutive half-centuries after replacing Smith in the second Test at Lord’s and admits Jofra Archer’s absence, albeit in undesirable circumstances, is a bonus for Pat Cummins’ side.

After all, it was Archer’s 90 mph speed that pinned Labuschagne to the ground with his first ball at Lord’s.

“Any team without Archer is not that strong, so that’s clearly an advantage,” Labuschagne admitted.

But he knows England has other options.

“The reality is I’ve played against Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts this year, so playing against all those guys and knowing what they’re bowling – it’s about preparing well. Obviously Jimmy, Broady and Ollie Rob will be on that side again.”

“He’s (Robinson’s) very skilled. He’s a first class bowler and it was a lot of fun to face him. It’s going to be a big fight in the Ashes.”

But first Labuschagne and co.

The minor issue of the World Test Championship Final against India.

And then, let the battle begin.