Marnus Labuschagne: Australia batter hopes for 2023 Glamorgan return

Batter Marnus Labuschagne played 11 games for Glamorgan this season before Australia duty called

The world's top-ranked Test batter Marnus Labuschagne says he wants to continue playing for Glamorgan in 2023.

Australian star Labuschagne made 11 appearances for the county in 2022 before departing for Sri Lanka.

"I love playing for the club and I certainly want to continue to play for Glamorgan, but we'll have to see how everything pans out," he told BBC Sport Wales.

South Africa's Colin Ingram will now take over his overseas slot.

Labuschagne faces a hectic international schedule with Australia, as well as the family commitment of his wife being pregnant with their first child.

He scored 1114 Championship runs in 2019 before making an impact in Australia's Ashes battle with England and hopes to repeat that process.

"There's a lot of things in the mix, but I can't see anything wrong with trying to copy the last time I played in the Ashes here, and play some county cricket with Glamorgan (going) into the Ashes next summer," said Labuschagne.

"That's our blueprint but we've got so much cricket this year, around 16 Tests and 18 one-day games, so we're going to have to make sure I'm fit and healthy, and also get to spend time at home with my wife and child at some stage."

Labuschagne scored 118 runs in five T20 Blast innings, but was prevented from signing off in style by a downpour which forced Glamorgan's match against Surrey to be abandoned after he had claimed two wickets with his leg-spin.

The individual high spot of his third year in Wales was hitting 130 and 85 as Glamorgan almost forced a Championship win at Derby.

He scored 377 runs at an average of 41 with the bat and took 10 wickets with his leg-spin and occasional seam bowling at 28.7.

"I enjoyed it immensely, I love the club, and I'm seeing a lot of improvement with guys like Kiran Carlson and David Lloyd who's stepped up to be skipper this year," reflected Labuschagne.

"(Former Kent and Hampshire batter) Sam Northeast is a great signing who I've become close with and it's enjoyable to see the club improving.

"There's still a long way to go for us as a club, to keep pushing the limit. I want to see this club moving into (Championship) Division One in the next two to three years which should be our goal.

"We've got the likes of (fellow Queenslander) Michael Neser leading our bowling attack, though Michael Hogan (retiring) is going to be a massive loss. But the enjoyment, the culture, everything about this club is the reason I keep turning up."

Sri Lanka questions

Despite touring Pakistan with Australia, Labuschagne believes he will have to answer different questions in a one-day series and two Tests in Sri Lanka.

"For me it's my first real sub-continent challenge against spin, it's about conquering that challenge. (England's) Joe Root played phenomenally over there, I've learned a lot from how he went about his game there," he said.

"As a team we want to be the best in the world, it doesn't matter where you take us, we want to be winning games and I certainly think we can do that in Sri Lanka. I'll have to get used to conditions, the heat and sweating it out, which is something we haven't had the last few games (in the UK)."

Ingram and fast bowler Neser will continue as Glamorgan's overseas players this season, with Ingram likely to play more four-day cricket than in recent years after hitting 87 against Durham in the opening match before Labuschagne's arrival.

Glamorgan have home T20 fixtures against Gloucestershire on Tuesday, 7 June and Hampshire three days later, and remain at Sophia Gardens for a Championship match against Sussex on Sunday, 12 June.