Glamorgan Cricket: Labuschagne 'excited' for T20 chance

Marnus Labuschagne's only previous T20 appearance for Glamorgan was against the Netherlands in 2019

Australia star Marnus Labuschagne is "excited" to play 14 T20 matches for Glamorgan despite missing out on an international tour.

Labuschagne was ruled out of Australia's trip to the West Indies because of logistical problems with travel and quarantine.

He will make his T20 Blast debut for Glamorgan against Gloucestershire on Thursday.

The game has been brought forward to 17:30 BST after floodlight problems.

Colin Ingram is likely to replace Michael Neser as an overseas player.

But all three are named in the 14-man squad with Glamorgan able to pick two of them according to conditions, form and fitness during the tournament.

Labuschagne has only played 16 official T20 matches and wants to add international recognition to his feats in Test and one-day cricket.

He featured for Brisbane Heat in Australia's Big Bash, and smashed 59 in a Glamorgan friendly against Netherlands in 2019.

"I'm excited to play more T20 cricket because it's something I haven't done enough of and I want to keep doing more," said Labuschagne.

"Hopefully to play 14 games of T20 cricket for Glamorgan will be very exciting and it (beating Lancashire in the Championship ) is a lovely way to go as a team with a bit of confidence into the T20s," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"There are a few adjustments to your game (from 50 overs cricket), a bit more awareness of where your boundary options are."

Following pre-match testing, a fault with one of the floodlight columns was discovered, which means the start time for the match as been brought forward to 17:30 BST with the match unable to be played under lights.

A crowd of around 1,000 will be allowed for the first two T20 games at Sophia Gardens against Gloucestershire and Essex, with Welsh Government permission to open up coming later than in England.

That will increase to 2,892 against Kent Spitfires on Wednesday, 16 June.

"It was amazing to have crowds on day one against Lancashire (for a pilot scheme) and it shows how much you miss having fans around the game and how much they mean to us. All around the world it's so enjoyable playing in front of people and hearing the crowd noise, even if it's against you, it's motivation," said Labuschagne.

Prem Sisodiya made his T20 debut for Glamorgan in 2019

Breakthrough star

While Test player Labuschagne has yet to prove himself in T20, 22 year old Cardiff-born spinner Prem Sisodiya enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2019, opening the bowling in every game and still proving their most economical operator.

"I'm feeling in good nick personally after a couple of second team games leading up to the Blast, playing against quite a few first team boys.

"People have seen a bit more of me from last year so they know what I'm coming with, but I'm just relishing the challenge and hoping I can perform as well as I did last year," Sisodiya told BBC Sport Wales.

"Opening is natural to how I bowl as a left-arm spinner bowling quite quick into the wicket, knowing what men to have (fielding) out and being flexible against different batters with different strengths.

"We're quite confident with Marnus, Col and Neser in the line-up although not all three can play, and we finished off quite well last year."

Who's who

Compared to the recent Championship squad, Ingram could replace Neser as one of the overseas players, while Sisodiya, opening bat Nick Selman, seamer Ruaidhri Smith and all-rounder Callum Taylor are all in the frame, and Timm van der Gugten is back from a week with the Netherlands.

"Welcome back to Colin Ingram who's made Glamorgan his second home and that's fantastic to see, alongside Marnus in that three position who adds his leg spin into the equation," said coach Matthew Maynard.

"Prem was fantastic for us in the role he did last year, he's had a couple of niggles, but he's back and bowling beautifully in the second eleven as is Ruaidhri Smith who's back from injury.

"Nick Selman has put himself in a great place with a couple of notable scores (in the seconds), Callum Taylor likewise will be there or thereabouts."

Batsmen Billy Root and Joe Cooke miss out initially while veteran seamer Michael Hogan appears unlikely to feature in the short format.

How it works

The Vitality Blast returns to a North/South split this season with nine teams in each group playing 14 fixtures each, finishing on 18 July.

The top four in each go into the quarter-finals in late August with the four winners reaching Finals Day on 18 September.

Gloucestershire were semi-finalists in 2020, winning the Central group despite conceding the double to Glamorgan, who last reached Finals Day in 2017.

Glamorgan (from): Selman, Lloyd, Labuschagne, Ingram, C Cooke, Carlson, Douthwaite, Taylor, Neser, Weighell, Salter, Smith, van der Gugten, Sisodiya.

Gloucestershire (from): Hammond, Dent, Cockbain, Phillips, J Taylor, Higgins, Howell, van Buuren, Smith, Payne, M Taylor, G Hankins, Shaw, Scott.