Glamorgan suffer Marcus North setback

Marcus North hit 125 not out for Australia against England in Cardiff in 2009

Glamorgan will be without overseas star Marcus North for the first month of the season as his wife is expecting their second child.

It is another blow for the county after last year's overseas player Alviro Petersen will not be coming back as a Kolpak signing.

"Marcus North and wife, Jo, are expecting their second child, in April of this year," a county statement said.

"Marcus will not join up with the squad until late April/early May."

Added the statement: "The club are pro-actively working to sign a temporary overseas player to cover his period of absence."

Favourite to fill that role would be North's fellow Australian Mark Cosgrove, who has had various spells at the club.

Glamorgan are set to need need someone for the first five games of the campaign.

Australian Test batsman Marcus North signed for the Welsh county on a two-year deal from the start of the 2012 season.

The 32-year-old left-hander, who is an occasional off-spin bowler, was a regular for two years until December 2010, scoring nearly 1200 runs in 21 Tests.

North has vast county cricket experience having enjoyed spells at Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Durham, Hampshire and Lancashire.