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Marnus Labuschagne’s lack of consistency puts paid to ODI World Cup hopes

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9 months ago

August 8, 2023

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Marnus Labuschagne's lack of consistency puts paid to ODI World Cup hopes

Marnus Labuschagne’s expectations of making his place in the ODI World Cup seems to be over after his exit from the squads going to face next month South Africa and India, but he will have a chance to push the selectors by lining up for Australia A against New Zealand A.

Labuschagne was the notable omission from Australia’s 18-player ODI squad for next month’s matches, which forms the preliminary group for the World Cup in October.

“It is form based,” chair of selectors George Bailey said about Labuschagne’s omission. “We know Marnus at his best is good enough to hold down a spot in the one-day team, [but] we just haven’t seen enough of it consistently in the role that we’d like him to do. Leading into the World Cup, there’s some opportunities for others to get a bit more game time.

“We’ve been really clear with Marnus. He’s going to be part of some Australia A games around the same time, so he can focus on some white-ball cricket. Clearly, the squad we have going to South Africa have the frontrunning for [the World Cup] but Marnus, the age he is, the skillset he has, I have no doubt he’ll play a part in one-day cricket in the future. We know at his best he can play a really important role in one-day cricket.”

Australia will narrow their list down to 15 names early next month but will be able to make changes up to September 28, the day after the last of the ODIs against India, where they will play three of the eight games in the lead-up to the World Cup.

Labuschagne has paid the price for not kicking on from a promising start to his ODI career over the last 18 months. Since March 2022, he averages 24.93 at a strike-rate of 74.94 from 17 matches, having averaged 39.41 with a strike-rate of 91.13 in his first 13 games, which included a maiden century against South Africa in March 2020.

Australia A play New Zealand A in three one-dayers from September 10 to 15 in Mackay and Brisbane, the squad for which is due to be named this week. Shortly after that, the domestic Marsh Cup begins, which will give Labuschagne further opportunity to play one-day cricket for Queensland.

If, as expected, he now misses out on the World Cup, it means he will be able to feature in a full run of Sheffield Shield matches during October and November ahead of the home Test season beginning against Pakistan, in Perth, on December 14.

Labuschagne had an underwhelming Ashes series in England, where he made 328 runs at 32.79, although he did have an excellent match at Old Trafford, where he struck a second-innings century.

Australia’s Test players who feature in the World Cup will have very limited opportunity for any first-class cricket ahead of the Test summer, although it is unlikely any of them will be part of the five-match T20I series against India will follows the tournament.

One player who could be particularly challenged by the schedule is Cameron Green, who was dropped for the final Ashes Test at The Oval. He has been rested from the T20I series in South Africa, but if he makes the cut for the final World Cup squad, there will be little opportunity for him to find red-ball form and rhythm to push his claims for a recall.

The last round of Shield matches before the Test series against Pakistan – and the BBL window – begins on November 28. The World Cup final takes place on November 19, and the round-robin matches finish on November 12.

“A really important thing to remember with Cam [is] he’s doing his learning at the coalface in international cricket,” Bailey said. “Even as far as Test cricket [is concerned], he’s going to play a huge role and be a really, really important member of that side; and he’s going to be a really important member of our white-ball teams in the near future. He’s certainly one where it’s about giving him a little bit more time off to make sure he hits the ground running for the one-day series.”

David Warner, who is aiming to close out his Test career at the SCG in early January, would also have a maximum of one Shield match for New South Wales, meaning the selectors will likely need to make a call on his place based on the Ashes, where he averaged 28.50. Thus, the first part of the Shield season will be vital for those vying to fill Warner’s place at the top of the order.
Source: ESPNcricinfo

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pakistan

NA Secretariat accepts inclusion of independent members in SIC

Published

9 hours ago

May 2, 2024

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NA Secretariat accepts inclusion of independent members in SIC

he National Assembly Secretariat has accepted the inclusion of independent members (PTI-backed MNAs) in the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Dunya News reported.

The National Assembly Secretariat has released a list of 83 members of Sunni Ittehad Council on its official website after the approval of NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

After the inclusion of independent members, Sunni Ittehad Council has become second largest party in the lower house of the parliament with 83 members.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had sent a notification regarding the inclusion of independent members in the SIC to the National Assembly Secretariat.

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pakistan

Pakistan urges UN to reconsider Palestine’s full membership bid amid US veto

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9 hours ago

May 2, 2024

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Pakistan urges UN to reconsider Palestine's full membership bid amid US veto

Pakistan has called on the United Nations General Assembly to push the Security Council to reconsider and recommend Palestine’s application for full membership of the UN to rectify the historic injustice against the Palestinian people.

“The admission of the state of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations would constitute a concrete political step towards the two-state solution and towards rectifying the historic injustice against the Palestinian people,” Ambassador Munir Akram said in a meeting sparked by a US veto, which blocked an Algerian resolution on 18 April that would have granted Palestine UN’s membership.

The meeting was necessitated by “the veto initiative” — the informal name for a resolution adopted by the Assembly in April 2022, titled “Standing mandate for a General Assembly debate when a veto is cast in the Security Council.”

According to the measure, which was put forth following the repeated wielding of the veto at the Council, blocking action on other situations, the General Assembly has a standing mandate to convene within 10 working days of a veto being cast in the Council.

Palestine is a ‘Permanent Observer State” at the UN, meaning that it can participate in all UN proceedings, except for voting on draft resolutions and decisions in its main organs and bodies.

In his remarks, the Pakistani envoy said, “The veto cast against Palestine’s admission erodes the credibility of the assurances that have been held out of support for the two-state solution.”

“The diplomacy now underway for peace in Palestine, in Israel and the region would gain considerable momentum if the veto was lifted and Palestine’s admission to the United Nations recommended by the Security Council.”

Ambassador Akram appealed to the United Nations and the international community at large to enforce an immediate ceasefire in Gaza; guarantee unrestricted access to humanitarian aid; prevent further escalation of the conflict; provide international protection for the Palestinians; revive the peace process and hold Israel responsible for its war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“Now, the extremist Israeli leadership is threatening an assault on Rafah which, as the UN Secretary-General has stated, ‘would be an unbearable escalation’, would have a devastating impact on the Palestinians in Gaza, with serious repressions on the occupied West,” he said.

Ambassador Akram highlighted the plight of the Palestinian people over the past seven decades, including the denial of self-determination, expulsion from their homeland, and enduring a prolonged and brutal foreign occupation.

The Pakistani envoy condemned Israel for its recent war crimes in Gaza, which had resulted in the deaths of over 35,000 Palestinian civilians, indiscriminate bombing, and the blockade of humanitarian aid, which the International Court of Justice has deemed as “plausible genocide.”

Ambassador Akram also hit back at the Israeli representative for making wild accusations against Islamic countries.

“Let me tell the Israeli representative that the outlawed Israeli regime cannot divert attention from its crimes by leveling calumny against the Islamic countries,” he said, adding, “Pakistan, unlike Israel, acts in accordance with international law.”

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pakistan

PM Shehbaz saddened by passing of UAE’s Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohamed

Published

9 hours ago

May 2, 2024

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PM Shehbaz saddened by passing of UAE's Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohamed

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences on Thursday following the passing of Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, the representative of the ruler of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Al Ain.

“Deeply saddened by the demise of His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohamed Al Nahyan. Our thoughts and prayers are with the leadership and people of the UAE during this time of mourning,” the prime minister shared on his X timeline.

He emphasised Sheikh Tahnoun’s significant role in strengthening the bond between Pakistan and the UAE, stating that his contributions would be remembered for years to come.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also offered prayers for the departed soul, asking Allah Almighty to grant Sheikh Tahnoun eternal peace.

Born in 1942, Tahnoun was among the select individuals who had accompanied Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s founding father, since an early age.

In response to his passing, the UAE government declared a seven-day mourning period

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