Family support for Australia’s Labuschagne in South Africa

PAARL, South Africa: Marnus Labuschagne will be supported by several of his South African family when he plays for Australia in the first ODI against South Africa at Boland Park on Saturday (today).

Some of those family members share his surname — but not the way it is pronounced. “Lab-u-shane is my taken name now because I’m Australian,” he said on Friday in his first press conference in the land of his birth.

“Obviously there is the traditional way it is pronounced over here but I’m not bothered at all. I’m not concerned how it is pronounced.” Born in Klerksdorp, Labuschagne’s father took the family to Australia when Marnus was nine.

And the support base will multiply when he gets to Potchefstroom for the third and final match on March 7. How many of his South African family will be in Potchefstroom. “It depends how many tickets there are,” he laughed. Grandparents, uncles and aunts and friends will be there. “More than 20,” he said.