Labuschagne confronts Test match mortality as Smith injury revealed

October 29, 2026 — 4:47am

Cape Town: Marnus Labuschagne reckoned with Test match mortality as Steve Smith’s neck injury was clarified by Cricket Australia on day two of the Newlands Test, with the 37-year-old continuing to experience symptoms consistent with whiplash.

The day after Smith had abruptly ruled himself out of the pivotal third Test against South Africa, he was on the team bus to the ground before play and joined a full-squad huddle in the nets.

He later left Newlands for around an hour, before returning to watch Josh Inglis and Alex Carey put Australia in a strong position to push for a win over the Proteas by stumps.

Smith's good friend and top order offsider Labuschagne was meanwhile out for a five-ball duck, stuck on the crease and edging Simon Harmer to slip, in a sequence that leaves him in very real danger of being dropped for the Perth Test against New Zealand in December.

"Marnus going back to what I thought was a full ball," David Warner said on Fox Cricket. "Generally, he's very good with his feet, so I think that's just a sign of being very nervous. Normally, he actually puts them away and gets in. So look, disappointing for him."

Labuschagne had begun the tour with a delay to do a video diary for Kayo, but no episode appeared after the second Test of the series where he was criticised for being caught in the second innings when he tried to hit Harmer into a strong wind.

Matt Renshaw, who compiled a sturdy 74 and has been a longtime teammate of Labuschagne's at state and international levels, hinted that the number three was still trying to force things.

"Yeah, obviously Marn's a great mate of mine, batters we can get out at any point. Unfortunately, today was a short one for him," he said. "But the way that he's been moving around, what I've seen the first two Tests, he's been moving probably as well as I've seen him bat.

“Unfortunately, sometimes we need a bit of luck, and that’s cricket. But the way that he’s going, I think that it’s very close. It’s just letting it happen.”

Smith had been taken for an MRI scan when the team arrived in Cape Town on Friday, which confirmed the nature of the injury he felt while batting in the second Test at St George's Park.

"Steve Smith developed neck pain on day four of the second Test in Gqeberha last week," a team spokesperson said.

"Subsequent MRI imaging confirmed a cervical facet joint injury. Due to this and his limited range of motion he was unfit to participate in the current Test.

"Steve will continue to receive treatment and rehabilitation, with a full return to availability anticipated for the upcoming home Test series against New Zealand."

The cervical facet joint is a neck stabiliser that can cause significant pain and reduced range of motion when injured. Smith was visibly affected by it when batting on days four and five in Gqeberha, and remained discomforted in training ahead of Tuesday's first ball.

Nevertheless, selectors George Bailey and Andrew McDonald had been aware of the scans and their results when they predicted confidently that Smith would be available to play at Newlands.

"He's got a bit of a neck issue going at the moment," McDonald had said. "You guys would have seen that play out in the nets. I think he had about 20-odd minutes in the nets, give or take. Today he'll progress that.

“He didn’t have his helmet on yesterday as well, so that’ll take part and hopefully he progresses to bowlers. We feel like it’s going to be a pretty steep progression in terms of he should be available. You’ll see that play out in terms of what happens. But we’re confident that he will be available.”

Renshaw said that in his view the team had not been overly unsettled by Smith's matchday withdrawal.

“I think all parties knew what was happening. I’m not a physio or a doctor, so I didn’t really pay too much attention to what was going on,” he said. “It was more just whatever we could do for the team. Probably the one thing that changed was the slips cordon and how we were managing that, but yeah, that was about it. Especially when we were bowling first.”

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