Marnus Labuschagne has confirmed he will line up for the Brisbane Heat in this summer's Big Bash League campaign, signing a one-year deal with the club.
Labuschagne, who debuted for the Heat in the 2016-17 summer, has been a one-club player in the BBL, although has been forced into reduced commitments in recent times as he has become a multi-format player for Australia.
The South African-born Queenslander is rated as one of the world's best batsmen and the Heat have confirmed he will be able to line up in six games for the club following the completion of the home international summer.
Cricket Australia have been busily helping Test players lock into BBL clubs, with South Africa pulling out of a one-day tour in January following the completion of the Test series due to the fact they are heading home to play their own domestic T20 league.
It has meant South Africa have effectively forfeited the series to Australia, but allows players like Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Alex Carey to be available for BBL commitments from January 8 - virtually allowing them to play the final month of the season.
Labuschagne has played just 32 T20 matches, with only one of those on the international scene, however, his 786 runs at 28 and a strike rate of 127 is only likely to improve as he continues to grow his game.
The 28-year-old played a handful of games for the Heat in the 2020-21 summer, helping the Heat make the finals, before playing just a single game last summer. He will join fellow Aussie Usman Khawaja in a feared batting line-up that could yet be complemented by the international draft.
Labuschagne was named to the Test team of the year for 2021 and has been in a rich vein of form at all levels and in all formats of the game.
