Ward's Maiden Ton Outshines Labuschagne's Brilliance as Tasmania Defeat Queensland in One-Day Cup
Marnus Labuschagne continued his scintillating run of form with a second century in a week, but it wasn’t enough to stop Tasmania from securing a five-wicket win over Queensland in their One-Day Cup clash at Allan Border Field.
Labuschagne struck a fluent 105 off 91 balls to anchor Queensland’s innings of 311 all out in 45.3 overs, but Tasmania chased down the target with 10 balls to spare, thanks to a composed maiden one-day century from Tim Ward (105 off 88 balls), supported by Jordan Silk (85 not out)* and Caleb Jewell (79).
The result keeps Tasmania unbeaten at 3-0, strengthening their position at the top of the One-Day Cup table, while Queensland fell to a 2-1 record.
Labuschagne in Red-Hot Form Ahead of Ashes Selection
Labuschagne’s innings, which included eight fours and two sixes, further bolsters his case for a return to the Test side ahead of the upcoming Ashes series. He has now recorded three hundreds in three formats within a month—160 in the Sheffield Shield, 130 against Victoria, and now 105 against Tasmania.
Despite being overlooked for the upcoming ODI series against India in favour of Matt Renshaw, Labuschagne continues to stake his claim, potentially as either an opener or at his preferred No. 3 spot for the Ashes. His most recent Test century came during the 2023 Ashes, but a dip in form since then saw him dropped for the 3-0 Test sweep over the West Indies.
On Thursday, Labuschagne brought up his hundred with a crisp boundary behind point off Nikhil Chaudhary, but was dismissed shortly after—edging Chaudhary behind for the first of his three wickets (3 for 66). Queensland’s strong position quickly unraveled after Labuschagne’s exit, suffering a collapse of 7 for 70, squandering what had promised to be a 350-plus total.
Tasmania Chase Down 312 with Authority
In reply, Tasmania built their chase around a steady and stylish century from Tim Ward, who notched up his maiden List A ton. Ward anchored the innings before departing with the score at 233. His knock, laced with elegant drives, laid the foundation for the finish.
Caleb Jewell (79 off 65) gave Tasmania a flying start, while Jordan Silk’s unbeaten 85 off 67 balls ensured a comfortable finish, taking Tasmania past the target in the 49th over.
What’s Next?
Tasmania’s strong early-season form puts them in pole position for a finals spot, while Queensland will look to regroup after letting a dominant position slip. For Labuschagne, his recent performances may be too compelling for national selectors to ignore, especially with the Ashes looming and question marks over the top order.
Match Summary:
Queensland: 311 all out in 45.3 overs (Labuschagne 105, Clayton 64; Chaudhary 3-66)
Tasmania: 317/5 in 48.2 overs (Ward 105, Silk 85*, Jewell 79)
Result: Tasmania won by 5 wickets