A brief but fiery moment between England captain Ben Stokes and Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne added spice to the fifth Ashes Test, before Stokes had the final say with a crucial breakthrough.
The incident occurred during a lively passage of play when Ben Stokes was bowling to Travis Head. Head flicked a delivery down the leg side for four, prompting some animated banter from Stokes. What began as routine verbal exchange soon drew in Marnus Labuschagne, who was at the non-striker’s end at the time.
Words were exchanged between Stokes and Labuschagne, and in a moment that caught attention, Stokes put his arm around Labuschagne’s neck and gave it a light squeeze. While the gesture looked aggressive at first glance, it appeared to be more playful than hostile. Both players quickly diffused the situation, and the exchange ended without intervention from umpires, suggesting it was seen as friendly sledging rather than misconduct.
However, the on-field interaction took on added significance later in the session. Stokes returned to bowl and struck a decisive blow by dismissing Labuschagne. Bowling a full delivery outside off at around 134.1 kph, Stokes tempted Labuschagne into a drive away from his body. The Australian batter edged the ball thickly, and Jacob Bethell completed a clean catch at gully.
Labuschagne was visibly stunned by the dismissal, standing momentarily in disbelief before walking off, clearly disappointed after scoring 48 off 68 balls, which included seven boundaries. The wicket broke an important partnership and swung momentum back England’s way.
The sequence of events — from the verbal sparring to Stokes removing Labuschagne shortly after — perfectly captured the intensity and edge of Ashes cricket. While the earlier exchange remained within the spirit of the game, Stokes ultimately let his bowling do the talking, underlining why such moments often become defining chapters in high-pressure Test matches.
