The accidental tourist: Marnus makes most of chance after subbing in for concussed Green as Aussies edge out Proteas

Marnus Labuschagne wants to be the man Australia’s one-day team turns to in the middle order after his majestic unbeaten 80 clinched a three-wicket win over South Africa in the Bloemfontein ODI.

Labuschagne started Thursday’s clash (Friday morning AEST) out of Australia’s starting XI and finished it collecting the player-of-the-match award after being activated as Cameron Green’s concussion substitute part-way through the run chase.

Labuschagne hopes the innings can prove the turning point in his endeavours to repair his faltering white-ball game.

“When I came back from the Ashes, I had three to four weeks off, then went back to the drawing board and really thought about what I wanted to improve in my one-day game,” said Labuschagne, whose 53.36 Test average dwarfs the 31.37 he had averaged in ODIs before his Bloemfontein knock.

“That’s gone really downhill and I really didn’t like that,” he said.