“He helped me trust my instincts in the middle” – Marnus Labuschagne on Glamorgan coach

Australian cricketer Marnus Labuschagne has said that Glamorgan's Matthew Maynard is one of the first coaches who has helped him trust his instincts in the middle.

Marnus Labuschagne, playing for the Welsh side in the 2021 County Championship, is only 29 runs short of 1,000 First-Class runs this year. The only player to get past that mark this season is England'sTest captain Joe Root.

In an interview with The Times, Marnus Labuschagne threw light on Maynard’s impact on his performances during the ongoing County stint.

“For those people who do know my personality, I love thinking about the game. I have a lot of thoughts about the game. I’ve probably had those thoughts for a long time, but Matt (Maynard) was probably one of the first coaches that really harnessed that and said, ‘I trust you. Go and play like that. I like the thinking,’” said Labuschagne.

Marnus Labuchagne continued in this regard:

“We talk about that technical change, but the change that Matt gave me was that clarity of mind, that ability to go and trust my own game, my instinct, my gut, to say, ‘Actually, don’t wait for it, don’t wait for two overs before you do the thing you think you should be doing now.’ He is honest. I don’t want people to tell me I’m going well when I’m not going well. I want none of that. If I’m going bad, mate, tell me straight up. That’s what Matt does.”

Taking a cut-off of 1,500 runs in Tests, Marnus Labuschagne’s batting average of 60.8 is the fifth-best in the format’s history.

Considered the next big thing in the Australian batting, Marnus Labuschagne talked about a few more people with whom he has had in-depth conversations about his batting. He said in this regard:

“There are not many people I talk to in-depth batting with - my coach back home, Neil D’Costa, Matt and my mate Rory (Smith) - those three, and Blair Copeland, are the guys I really talk cricket with, and they know me and how I go about the game.”

Labuschagne hasn’t really set the stage on fire in the County Championship this season, managing only 151 runs at 25.16. However, on Saturday, he led the batting charge for Glamorgan in their win against Lancashire. He followed up his first-innings effort of 44 with a 63 not out and hit the winning runs.

🏏Glamorgan reach 188-4 to beat Lancashire by six wickets with Marnus Labuschagne on 63 not out Glamorgan coach Matthew Maynard gives @BBCSportWales his reaction to the result, the class of Labuschagne, and Lancashire’s criticims of the pitch in a low scoring game in Cardiff pic.twitter.com/cMh6XvAgFb

— Nick Webb (@nickwebb2017) June 5, 2021

Marnus Labuschagne explains his changed batting stance

Marnus Labuschagne averages over 60 in Test cricket.

Marnus Labuschagne became a household name during the 2019 Ashes in England after he came in as Steve Smith’s concussion substitute and didn’t look back.

During his current County stint, he has been batting with a different technique: a higher back-lift and a more open stance. Labuschagne attributed the change in technique to the English conditions, explaining:

“In Australia, you don’t get those balls that skid in low and hit the top of the stumps from about six-metre length. Having that open stance gives you a lot of access to balls on the leg side, and because I’ve learnt that ability to still hit through cover, hitting that inside-out shape, it’s definitely something that has got open over time."

Though Labuschagne has set sights to play for Australia in the 2021 T20 World Cup, it seems an unlikely proposition, as he hasn’t played a T20I. However, later in the year, he will be crucial to Australia’s chances in the Ashes series at home.

Things you love to see: A Marnus Labuschagne on drive 😍 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/ieupxzRo5H

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 18, 2020

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