Labuschagne to warm up for WTC final with county stint

Glamorgan have confirmed Marnus Labuschagne will return to the club for two County Championship matches this month as the Australian No.3 ramps up his preparation for June's World Test Championship final.

Labuschagne, a regular for the Welsh-based county since 2019, is set to face Northamptonshire and Middlesex at their Cardiff home ground Sophia Gardens from May 16 and May 23 respectively before the Aussie Test squad assembles in London in the first week of next month.

Labuschagne and wife Rebekah welcomed their second child, Judah, last month as the right-hander enjoyed six weeks at home following a busy international summer and Queensland's Sheffield Shield final loss.

He's now firmly back in cricket mode, even acclimatising to English conditions with batting sessions in the rain while training in Brisbane.

There has been speculation in recent days that Labuschagne could be deployed as opener alongside Usman Khawaja for the WTC final to accommodate the fit-again Cameron Green's return to the side.

The 30-year-old has never opened in Test cricket but Australia faces a vacancy at the top of the order following Travis Head's cameo against Sri Lanka with the left-hander set to return to his regular No.5 position.

Australian selectors are expected to announce their 15-player squad to face South Africa at Lord's on June 11 on Monday.

Labuschagne will be looking to build on his finish to the home summer when he joins Glamorgan, with his 61 in the second innings of the Shield final his best red-ball innings this year.

It's been almost two years since Labuschagne's last Test century but crucial contributions of 72 and 70 in Australia's Boxing Day Test win over India highlighted his importance to the side's top six.

"I've played some really good innings here and there; I've just not nailed it as much as I would have liked," Labuschagne said of his form last summer following the Shield final.

"There's a lot to like about how I played and how I went about it, but to get back to my best where I'm scoring hundreds I want to just continue to grow and learn finding that form."

Glamorgan director of cricket, Mark Wallace, said Labuschagne would take South African batter Colin Ingram's spot in the team for both matches.

"It's great to have Marnus returning to the club again," he said.

"He's very much part of the furniture here and we're looking forward to welcoming him back to Wales for a couple of games.

"Although it's only for a short period, it will allow Colin to have a break and recharge before the T20 Blast."

Labuschagne averaged almost 60 with two centuries during four red-ball games with Glamorgan last year, but his fifth campaign with the club is perhaps more fondly remembered for his stunning outfield catch diving full stretch to his right against regional rivals Gloucestershire in the T20 Blast.

An absolutely bonkers catch from Marnus Labuschagne in England's T20 Blast🤯pic.twitter.com/Y1T2o7PZhv

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) June 20, 2024

The first of his two appearances for the Division Two side will see him square off with former Australian and Brisbane Heat coach Darren Lehmann, who is in his first season leading Northamptonshire.

Delisted South Australian fast bowler Harry Conway and former Bulls left-armer Liam Guthrie, who has joined Northants as a local player, are also part of Lehmann's squad for this season.