• Second Test:
England 258 & 258-5dec; Australia 250 & 154-6 • Leach and Archer take three wickets each but Australia surviveAnyone predicting that Marnus Labuschagne would be the man to shepherd the Australians towards safety in this Test match might well have been led off to a darkened room to undergo testing for concussion. Two days ago this scenario was unthinkable. Yet on the final day of a Test match that kept us all intrigued to the end there was Labuschagne, an adopted Queenslander recently of Glamorgan, batting through 30 overs to allow Australia to keep their 1-0 lead intact.
Earlier in the day Labuschagne became the first ever concussion replacement in Test cricket. To no one’s surprise Steve Smith woke up “with a bit of a headache and a feeling of grogginess” and was withdrawn from the match by the
Australian team doctor, Richard Saw. Hence Labuschagne was drafted into the team. After this innings, batting in Smith’s slot at No 4, he may stay there for a while.