In his first of two county matches for Glamorgan before June's Lord's showdown with South Africa, the world's former No.1 Test batter lasted just seven balls and eight minutes on Friday before Northamptonshire's ebullient import from Sydney, Harry Conway, dismissed him for a duck.
The prize wicket brought a big, pointed celebration from the bustling 32-year-old seamer Conway but, doubtless, more than a few sighs from selectors hoping to see Labuschagne return to his best after a recent paternity break.
The 30-year-old Labuschagne is much loved in his adopted Welsh county and the locals at Cardiff had been hoping to see their favourite run machine set out on the path to an 11th first-class century for Glamorgan in his sixth season at Sophia Gardens.
Alas, on a seamers' pitch after Northants had already been bowled out for 185, Conway eked out his compatriot in the evening session to continue what's been a spectacular start to county championship life for the South Australia quick.
His Australian county coach Darren Lehmann adores their new signing, famously introducing Conway before his debut thus: "Harry is a mad badger, and people are going to love him!"
In Northampton, they certainly have, with the 2-37 he took on Friday, which helped the visitors reduce Glamorgan to 3-82 by the close, now having taken Conway's tally to 15 wickets in just his third match, at an average of 15.46.Â
Elsewhere on Friday, Marcus Harris took his bow as Lancashire captain by losing the toss at Old Trafford which enabled Derbyshire to make the hosts bat so they wouldn't have to face an awkward early examination from returning 42-year-old legend James Anderson.
Instead, Harris, who's taken over as skipper from Keaton Jennings, got to work on extending his county championship-leading run tally, scoring another 45 which took him to 794 for the season at an average of just under 80.
But the run-hungry left-hander will have been frustrated to get out fishing when looking set for a seventh score of 50-plus this season and after sharing a century partnership for the third wicket with opener Luke Wells, who went on to make 141 in Lancashire's 5-250.
If Labuschagne didn't get the Test final practice he'd been hoping for, another squad member Beau Webster was a little busier at Edgbaston as he took 2-42 off his 11 overs for Warwickshire against Hampshire.
