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'Extremely silly': Aussie rookie scolded over brain fade

Rookie Australia batsman Marnus Labuschagne has been lambasted by cricket greats after an “extremely silly” lapse of concentration cost him dearly against Pakistan.

Labuschagne has summed up a shocking performance by Australia’s batsmen with a horror run out on day two of the second Test against Pakistan.

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The 24-year-old was looking increasingly comfortable at the crease after putting on a much-needed 37-run partnership with Mitchell Starc.

That was until an unfathomable brain fade undid all his good work and left the Aussies in an even more precarious predicament.

Labuschagne was well behind the crease at the non-striker’s end when Starc’s straight-drive was deflected onto the stumps by Yasir Shah.

However, the Aussie rookie committed the cardinal sin of not having his bat grounded when the ball smashed into the bails.

Labuschagne sheepishly walked back to the pavilion on 25 while the commentary team scolded him for the rookie error.

Labuschagne won’t want to watch any replays of his embarrassing run out. Pic: Fox Sports/Getty
Labuschagne won’t want to watch any replays of his embarrassing run out. Pic: Fox Sports/Getty

“He’ll look back on that until he’s blue in the face,” former Test star Brett Lee said on Fox Sports.

“A sad moment for a guy who was looking in great form.”

“Caught napping,” Rameez Raja added.

“That partnership broken through some extremely silly cricket.

“He’s looking at the ball, looking at the ball hit the stump yet doesn’t react.”

“What a mistake from Marnus Labuschagne,” Mike Hussey declared.

“The most bizarre dismissal. Labuschagne just had the bat in the air and just watched it all the way onto the stumps.

“Justin Langer the coach would be so frustrated with that.”

‘Strange’ rule bites Aussies for a second time in series

Australia were also left frustrated by a “strange” and little-known rule which has twice cost them crucial wickets in the series.

The tourists looked to have made a sorely-needed breakthrough on day two of the second Test when Jon Holland trapped Azhar Ali in front in the penultimate over.

Azhar, who was on 53, was given not out but Australian skipper Tim Paine called for a review.

Replays showed the ball could not have been much better placed – pitching on middle and leg, turning away from the right-hander and hitting off stump.

But the DRS technology determined that the point of impact was more than three metres from the stumps, meaning the umpire’s call could not be overturned.

Azhar survived and Pakistan reached stumps at 2-144, leading Australia by 281 runs as the ‘three-metre rule’ again cost the tourists at a critical moment.

With AAP