Marnus Labuschagne expected to open ahead of Sam Konstas as Cameron Green returns

Marnus Labuschagne is favoured to join Usman Khawaja at the top of the order and tip out Sam Konstas when Australia faces South Africa to bid for back-to-back world Test championship titles at Lord’s next month.

Australia's selectors met this week to finalise their squads for the WTC and the subsequent tour of the West Indies, a first Test trip to the Caribbean for a decade.

It’s expected Sam Konstas will make way at the top of the Australian order for Marnus Labuschagne. Credit: Getty/AP

They must nominate a 15-man squad plus a reserve for the Test final by Tuesday Australian time, and will likely bolster the squad by two for the West Indies assignment in what are expected to be vastly different conditions.

Labuschagne has not opened previously in Test cricket. But his vital contributions to Australia’s most important Test victory of last summer – scores of 72 and 70 against India at the MCG – are expected to keep him in the top six despite a longtime downturn in scoring.

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