By David Williams
Glamorgan have re-signed Ireland Test captain Andy Balbirnie after continuing doubts over when Australian pair Marnus Labuschagne and Michael Neser will be available to the county.
Batsman Bilbirnie has agreed a short term deal to replace Labuschagne for April after the Australian domestic season was extended due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Labuschagne and Neser are due to join Glamorgan once the domestic season finishes in Australia.
Director of cricket Mark Wallace said: “It’s disappointing Marnus will miss the first few games of the season but we’re very happy to get someone the calibre of Balbo in on such short notice.
“As he showed last year, he’s a fine player and has a good track record across all formats and experience playing at the very highest level.
“He was fantastic for us when he joined last year and will bring plenty of skill and leadership to our side.
“Michael Neser plays with Marnus at Queensland and his arrival has also been delayed so we’re currently looking at other options for the early stages of the season.”
Balbirnie, 30, played in Glamorgan’s T20 campaign last season and was top scorer.
He made 255 runs at an average of 32, with a highest score of 99 not out in the home win over Gloucestershire.
He has also played three Test matches for his country with a top score of 82 against Afghanistan in 2019.
He went on to score a half-century at Lord’s when Ireland nearly recorded a shock victory against England later that year.
The 30-year-old has played 30 first-class matches, scoring 1,296 runs with a top score of 205 not out against The Netherlands in a four-day Intercontinental Cup match in 2017.
“It’s a brilliant opportunity to play red-ball cricket and the County Championship is historically one of the best first-class competitions in the world,” said Balbirnie.
“I really enjoyed my time in Wales last season – the players and coaches were incredibly welcoming and it’s a great place to play.
“I’m really excited to go back, get stuck in and hopefully contribute to some wins for Glamorgan.”
The signing comes after club captain Chris Cooke signed a new two-year contract with Glamorgan earlier this week, which will extend his time at the county until 2023.