Marnus Labuschagne confirms Glamorgan stint ahead of WTC final

Marnus Labuschagne will be available for Glamorgan's two County Championship fixtures in the second half of the May, as part of the Australia batter's preparations for the World Test Championship final in June.

Labuschagne was expected to return to Glamorgan for a fifth consecutive season and has now been confirmed for the home games against Northamptonshire and Middlesex, when he will replace Colin Ingram as one of the two overseas players in the XI (Asitha Fernando being the other).

"It's great to have Marnus returning to the club again," Mark Wallace, Glamorgan's director of cricket, said. "He's very much part of the furniture here and we're looking forward to welcoming 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 Blast."

Labuschagne has emerged as a candidate to open for Australia in the WTC final, with Travis Head set to move back down the order after opening in Sri Lanka and uncertainty around whether the selectors will go back to Sam Konstas, who debuted to startling effect during the Border Gavaskar Trophy but has little experience of English conditions.

Labuschagne has opened previously for Queensland and did the job in one game for Glamorgan last season, scoring 23 and 111 against Middlesex at Cardiff.