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West Australian
6 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
England cricket great Kevin Pietersen rips to shreds Australia's batting line-up
England cricket legend Kevin Pietersen has fired an early warning shot ahead of this summer's Ashes series in Australia. After watching Australia's batters struggle in the recent World Test Championship final against South Africa, Pietersen believes England bowlers will have little to fear when the Ashes begins in WA in November. Among other criticisms, Pietersen said the demise of 30-year-old Marnus Labuschagne was 'very strange' and he said allrounder Cameron Green should not be coming in at No.3 'The batting is not what the batting used to be. Apart from Steve Smith,' Pietersen said. 'I've not seen anything here that would worry me. Not seen it at all. 'I don't know what has happened to Marnus the last couple of years. 'He just won't hit the ball. It's very strange to see.' Pietersen also put the spotlight on Green, who made 4 and a duck against South Africa. 'Cameron Green is not a No.3,' Pietersen said. Not only are there form concerns, Australia's top line-up is ageing. Usman Khawaja is 38 and will turn 39 this December, Steve Smith is 36, Mitchell Starc is 35, Nathan Lyon will be 38 in November and Pat Cummins is 32. Even Beau Webster, who made his Test debut in January this year, will be 32 in December. The team is starting to look like Dad's Army but Pietersen was prepared to cut the veteran stars some slack, and backed in the bowlers. 'Smith is a different level, a modern great,' he said. He also thought Khawaja was certainly good for another Ashes campaign. 'Uzzie is what Uzzie is. He has a good record,' Pietersen said. 'Beau Webster, I've seen better batters than him from what I've seen here. And I've only seen him here and it would probably be hard for me to forge an opinion just on what I've seen here because the ball has actually done quite a bit. 'But just technique ... if I was an English bowler, I would fancy my chances against this batting line-up. 'Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Lyon, Scotty Boland, there's some proper bowling, but as an England bowler (I wouldn't be worried). 'I'd be saying I'd rather be a bowler this Ashes series.' Labuschagne is expected to be dropped for the Test against the West Indies but he could return to the team for the Ashes. Australian coach Andrew McDonald is certainly not ruling him out despite the fact he has a century drought that is almost 24 months long. 'He's a big part of the future of the team,' McDonald said. 'Anyone that averages (46.19) in Test cricket at that age (30) is important. 'We've got older players there that are closer to the end than the start. 'If he can get his game in good order for the next four or five years, he can underpin that batting order, but at the moment, he'd be disappointed with the returns. 'We're confident that he could return to his best, hence why we keep picking him, and it's at what point do we stop picking him? 'There's no harder worker than Marnus, and now it's really just about the returns.' - With AAP
7NEWS
6 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
England cricket great Kevin Pietersen rips to shreds Australia's batting line-up
England cricket legend Kevin Pietersen has fired an early warning shot ahead of this summer's Ashes series in Australia. After watching Australia's batters struggle in the recent World Test Championship final against South Africa, Pietersen believes England bowlers will have little to fear when the Ashes begins in WA in November. Among other criticisms, Pietersen said the demise of 30-year-old Marnus Labuschagne was 'very strange' and he said allrounder Cameron Green should not be coming in at No.3 'The batting is not what the batting used to be. Apart from Steve Smith,' Pietersen said. 'I've not seen anything here that would worry me. Not seen it at all. 'I don't know what has happened to Marnus the last couple of years. 'He just won't hit the ball. It's very strange to see.' Pietersen also put the spotlight on Green, who made 4 and a duck against South Africa. 'Cameron Green is not a No.3,' Pietersen said. Not only are there form concerns, Australia's top line-up is ageing. Usman Khawaja is 38 and will turn 39 this December, Steve Smith is 36, Mitchell Starc is 35, Nathan Lyon will be 38 in November and Pat Cummins is 32. Even Beau Webster, who made his Test debut in January this year, will be 32 in December. The team is starting to look like Dad's Army but Pietersen was prepared to cut the veteran stars some slack, and backed in the bowlers. 'Smith is a different level, a modern great,' he said. He also thought Khawaja was certainly good for another Ashes campaign. 'Uzzie is what Uzzie is. He has a good record,' Pietersen said. 'Beau Webster, I've seen better batters than him from what I've seen here. And I've only seen him here and it would probably be hard for me to forge an opinion just on what I've seen here because the ball has actually done quite a bit. 'But just technique ... if I was an English bowler, I would fancy my chances against this batting line-up. 'Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Lyon, Scotty Boland, there's some proper bowling, but as an England bowler (I wouldn't be worried). 'I'd be saying I'd rather be a bowler this Ashes series.' Labuschagne is expected to be dropped for the Test against the West Indies but he could return to the team for the Ashes. Australian coach Andrew McDonald is certainly not ruling him out despite the fact he has a century drought that is almost 24 months long. 'He's a big part of the future of the team,' McDonald said. 'Anyone that averages (46.19) in Test cricket at that age (30) is important. 'We've got older players there that are closer to the end than the start. 'If he can get his game in good order for the next four or five years, he can underpin that batting order, but at the moment, he'd be disappointed with the returns. 'We're confident that he could return to his best, hence why we keep picking him, and it's at what point do we stop picking him? 'There's no harder worker than Marnus, and now it's really just about the returns.'
News.com.au
12-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Australia v South Africa World Test Championship Final Day 2 Live Scores
Beau Webster has made a statement at Lord's that even when Cameron Green returns to bowling he will be hard to dislodge from the Australian top six. The Tasmanian's 72 – just like his half century on debut in Sydney against India – could be the difference between the two teams in the WTC Final. Webster is a smart and mature cricketer who is not overawed by the Test arena and after four Tests he is making a habit of match-defining contributions – just as he did for Tassie in the Shield. Kagiso Rabada was all over Webster like a rash early in his innings, but after he got a life on 8 when he should have been out lbw if only South Africa had reviewed, the all-rounder flicked a switch with his game. It was a lesson to other Australian batsmen about being proactive as South Africa were left to lament letting the slug from snug find a way. 'It was a bit annoying. He didn't start off too well there. It looked like he was going to get out any ball but I guess his positive intent got him through,' Rabada said. 'Cricket's a funny game. That's just how it goes sometimes.' But the thing with Webster is more often than not, it seems to go his way. Many are predicting that Green's return for bowling in the Ashes could spell the end for Webster, but this would be selling his ability and cricket smarts criminally short. Imagine the flexibility in this Australian side if there were two all-rounders in the top six? There were fears that the Shield might be Webster's ceiling but he has simply transferred his nous in the domestic game to the highest level. The simplicity impressed his batting partner Steve Smith. 'He's done a terrific job. I think he was pretty annoyed at his first 30 balls today. He didn't feel like he could spell bat for a little bit there,' Smith said. 'But things can turn around really quickly in England and I think playing in England actually suits him the way he scores his runs. 'He scores really square of the wicket so when the ball is swinging around it suits him. He gets it on the top of the bounce being tall and like I said he defends nice and straight and scores really square which I think is a good trait in England.'
ABC News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
World Test Championship final live: Australia takes on South Africa on day one at Lord's
Australia is looking to become the first team to win two World Test Championships when it takes to the field against South Africa for day one of the competition's final at Lords. Marnus Labuschagne is set to open the batting for the first time in a Test match, while the returning Cameron Green is slated to come in at number three. Follow the action in our live blog below, keep up to date with all the stats in our ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage.
News24
11-06-2025
- Sport
- News24
Labuschagne to open for Australia in WTC final against South Africa
Marnus Labuschagne will open the batting for the first time in his Test career in the World Test Championship final against South Africa. The South African-born batsman will partner Usman Khawaja, while Cameron Green returns at number three following back surgery. Josh Hazlewood is also picked ahead of Scott Boland in the bowling line-up. For more cricket news, visit our dedicated section. Marnus Labuschagne will fill Australia's problem position of opening batsman in the World Test Championship final against South Africa, captain Pat Cummins announced on Tuesday. Reigning champions Australia have struggled to plug the hole at the top of their order left by the retirement of David Warner 17 months ago. READ | Proteas done with talk - at Lord's, bat and ball will answer all Steve Smith was promoted but only lasted four Tests before dropping back down to four and giving Nathan McSweeney a chance. McSweeney struggled against India late last year, with teenager Sam Konstas thrust into the side during the home series. He scored a blazing 60 on debut, but was less effective in the next Test and was jettisoned in favour of Travis Head for Australia's tour of Sri Lanka. But with Head reverting to five, Labuschagne, best known as a number three, has been promoted to open for the first time in his Test career. The 30-year-old, who has not scored a Test century for nearly two years, will form a first-wicket partnership with Queensland teammate Usman Khawaja, while the fit-again Cameron Green returns at number three following back surgery. 'Cam Green, the last few weeks, he's had coming back in great form, we thought he deserves a spot somewhere in the batting line-up,' Cummins said on the eve of the final. 'We thought three probably suits him best. 'And then with Marnus moving, we thought it's one spot up, it's not too different to batting at three. He's done well here in England in the past.' 'Unfortunate' Boland Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been selected ahead of Scott Boland, with all-rounder Beau Webster included to provide back-up overs given Green is still not fit to bowl. Boland took 10 wickets in his last Test as Australia defeated India in Sydney to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and secure a spot in the WTC final. But he has never played at Lord's, where Hazlewood, only recently returned from a shoulder problem in the Indian Premier League, has taken 13 wickets in three Tests. 'There are some guys where you genuinely say, you've done nothing wrong, don't change a thing and that's Scotty,' said fellow paceman Cummins. 'He is just really unfortunate to miss out.' The match, starting on Wednesday, is only the third WTC final but Cummins said: 'It's a trophy we've spoken a lot about over the last couple of years.' 'Test cricket is my favourite format,' added the skipper, who also led Australia to 50-over World Cup glory in 2023. 'You've got to basically win in all different conditions to make it into this final. If we can retain that mace, that's a pretty awesome thing for this team.' Teams: Australia Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood South Africa Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (captain), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wicketkeeper), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
