Ben Stokes ended day two at the SCG by dismissing Marnus Labuschagne only a handful of balls after the pair had exchanged blunt words in fading light during the fifth Ashes Test.
England’s captain had just been driven for successive boundaries by Travis Head when, at the end of the 29th over, Labuschagne chipped in with something from the non-striker’s end. Stokes’ response – “shut the f* up” – was clearly audible on the effects mic. As Stokes walked past, he then placed an arm round the Australian and spoke again while umpire Ahsan Raza moved in to keep an eye on things.
“It just got a bit heated, maybe [because] it’s the fifth Test and maybe everyone is getting a bit tired,” Adam Gilchrist said on Kayo Sports. “It looked like it was done and dusted after a bit of backchat, but something caught Stokes’ attention and he goes back to Marnus and actually puts his arm around him. I don’t know whether that was trying to defuse the situation, but it still looked like it was pretty heated. Should you be touching an opposition player in any fashion?”
Five deliveries into Stokes’ next over, Labuschagne was back on strike. A full ball invited the drive, produced a thick outside edge and Jacob Bethell held the chance at gully. Labuschagne trudged off for 48; Stokes stared but said nothing more. Australia closed on 198 for 5, with nightwatcher Michael Neser unaware of the earlier tension.
“Not a clue. I was stressing about my batting,” Neser smiled afterwards. Asked if Labuschagne can needle opponents, he replied: “He has a knack [of frustrating opponents]. I think it’s just the fact that he’s such a strong competitor and he can get under your skin. It’s just Marnus for you.”
Labuschagne had already made a notable contribution with the ball, removing Jamie Smith for 62 and breaking a 94-run stand with Joe Root. It was his first Test wicket with medium pace – previous scalps have come via leg-spin – and arrived courtesy of a shoulder-high delivery carved straight to deep point.
“He loves bowling,” Neser added. “Again, just a massive competitor. It’s not a surprise to us, because he’s actually done that role quite often in Shield cricket and got a fair few wickets bowling short. So it’s not like it’s just a fluke, he’s actually practised it. One thing about Marnus, his quicker balls are actually quite a lot quicker. I think you saw his paces, he was in the 130s [kph], and he can bowl anywhere from 112 to 130, so it’s quite hard to get a read on him when he’s going like that.”
For Stokes, the wicket was a timely boost after an economical but wicketless opening burst. England’s fielding unit, criticised earlier in the series, held firm when it mattered, Bethell’s low take at gully underlining a tidy day.
There is no formal code against players talking to each other, though the umpires can step in if language crosses a line. Stokes’ comment was clearly coarse, yet play continued without disciplinary referral. With three days left, both camps will be keen to keep minds on the cricket rather than the chatter.
England still trail by 107 but have a second new ball due early on day three. Australia retain the upper hand, yet the captain-versus-No.3 subplot has added an extra layer to a contest that hardly needed more edge.
