Probably the most popular Aussie in Wales, Marnus Labuschagne rarely lets down the fans at his Glamorgan “second home”. The Test batting maestro was at it again on his return to the county championship at Cardiff on Sunday, spearheading their fightback with a ninth first-class century for his beloved adopted team. “It’s always exciting to be back here in Cardiff at Sophia Gardens.
It’s sort of my second home now,” the 29-year-old had gushed earlier in the week after returning to the venue in the Welsh capital where he’s scored a stack of runs. More Cricket He had missed out in the first innings of their clash against Middlesex, getting caught behind for a swift 23 but he doesn’t fail twice very often and looked determined to make amends second time around with his side 160 behind on first innings. Opening the batting again, Labuschagne partnered the prolific South African Colin Ingram in a fourth-wicket partnership of 156 that’s helped the hosts make a fight of it.
Both men went on to make a hundred – it was Ingram’s fourth of the season – with Labuschagne compiling his 111 off 200 balls, featuring 17 boundaries. Ingram made a more attacking 105 but both will have been frustrated to get out just when it seemed Glamorgan could seize the initiative. The hosts were left at 7-294 – a lead of 134 – by stumps.
For Labuschagne, though, it was a familiar example of his mastery of county attacks. In his 27th championship game, he’s now scored 2355 runs at.