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…