42 Runs In 26 Overs: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne Create Unwanted Record With 'Boreball' Approach

Australia batting stars Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne have entered record books for creating unwanted records on day two of the ongoing fifth and final Ashes Test against England at The Oval.

Australia’s slow batting approach on the second day of the Test has been severely criticized. In a series where England have enthralled cricket fans all over the world with their aggressive approach, Australia’s star batters decided to take a completely different approach on day two.

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Neither Marnus Labuschagne nor Usman Khawaja showed any urgency with the bat, making many criticize their approach. Some fans even took to social media platforms to label their approach ‘Snoozeball’ and ‘Boreball’. Former England skipper Michael Vaughan was very critical of Australia’s approach with the bat, saying that the visitors looked scared.

“They are taking home the urn, but I’ve never seen Australia play with so much fear,” Vaughan said on the BBC’s Test Match Special.

“They are usually so aggressive…but they have just sat in to bat for a long period of time without remembering you have to put a bit of pressure on the bowlers. [This morning] I thought it was the worst I’ve ever seen Australia bat in my time watching them. They never play like that,” he added.

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Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja enter record books:

While Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja could not bat their team to a good position, they have managed to enter the record books for their slow knocks. Marnus Labuschagne scored only 9 runs from 82 balls before edging a Mark Wood delivery behind the stumps. On the other hand, Usman Khawaja scored 157 deliveries for 47 runs.

And as the duo took the defensive approach with the bat, they ended up creating an Ashes record. The duo shared a 42-run stand in 26 overs. The partnership came at a run rate of 1.61, which is the slowest partnership in Ashes history among the pairs which faced a minimum of 150 balls in an innings together. The record was previously held by England’s Michael Carberry and Joe Root, who had scored at a run rate of 1.75 against Australia in Adelaide in 2013.

Lowest partnership run-rates in Ashes Tests (min. 150 balls faced)
1.61 – Usman Khawaja & Marnus Labuschagne, The Oval, 2023
1.75 – Michael Carberry & Joe Root, Adelaide, 2013
1.75 – Steve Smith & Mitchell Marsh, Melbourne, 2017
1.86 – Phil Hughes & Shane Watson, Sydney, 2011
1.94 – Steve Smith & Marnus Labuschagne, Adelaide, 2021

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