Rising Australian star Marnus Labuschagne has agreed a new deal with Glamorgan County cricket club which will see him extend his contract until the end of the 2022 season.
Labuschagne had initially signed a two-year deal for the 2020 and 2021 seasons but, with the county season delayed due to the health implications of COVID-19, it has been agreed that he will not come to Wales for the 2020 season, the club has announced.
On extending his deal at Glamorgan, Labuschagne said, "It was an easy decision to extend my contract for another year and commit to Glamorgan and Wales long term."
"I was gutted not to be returning to Glamorgan for the 2020 season after I loved my first year here, so I'm delighted to be re-committing myself to the club for the next couple of years.
"I loved my first year at the club and the dressing room environment and I'm looking forward to playing cricket with them again."
In 2019 Labuschagne scored 1,114 County Championship runs at an average of over 65, scoring five centuries and five half-centuries in a spectacular debut campaign that saw him secure a place in the Ashes squad before becoming the first concussion substitute in Test cricket history and helping Australia to retain the Ashes.
He was the first player to reach 1,000 County Championship runs during the season, and added 19 wickets and 12 catches to complement his impressive run haul.
Director of Cricket, Mark Wallace, said, "It's a sign of Marnus' character that he had no hesitation in extending his deal, and that he's been keen to do so since we realised that he wouldn't be able to come over and play for us in 2020.
"Marnus loves the game of cricket and his enthusiasm is infectious, and he brings an incredible energy to the team that lifts others around him. The coaching staff love him, and we are looking forward to having him around in 2021 and 2022 and beyond," he added.
