Marnus Labuschagne is an unforgettable name and it may soon be on the lips of cricket fans across Australia, as the Big Bash League gets back in full swing.
Marnus will be lining up for the Brisbane Heat this season in the Twenty20 tournament. The 23 year old has a contract with the Queensland Bulls in the Sheffield Shield (in the longer form of the game) and recently signed a long term contract with the Heat.
“I’ve got a real desire to achieve as high as I possibly can.” – Marnus Labuschagne
If all goes to plan, Marnus will be batting alongside the world famous ‘bash brothers’ Chris Lynn and Brendon McCullum. Taking to the wicket with such players will give him a golden opportunity to learn from and shine with the best.
The South African born Australian has had a strong love for cricket since he can remember. “If you asked me what I wanted to do when I was three I would’ve said ‘play cricket’,” Marnus tells Eternity. “At three and four I was watching test cricket on TV. Mum would go to work and I would stay home and just watch cricket all day.
“In South Africa, it’s [cricket] very serious at a very young age. You play to win from a very young age. So growing up I always wanted to win, I’ve got a real desire to achieve as high as I possibly can.”
From the age of 10 when Marnus was playing representative cricket, he has put in the sort of hard work required to reach the professional ranks. And his belief and desire to get better has begun to pay off – he was voted ‘Player of the Series’ in Australia’s domestic one-day competition in 2016.
“In the big scheme of things, what you’re worth … isn’t out there on the pitch” – Marnus Labuschagne
But Marnus is aware of the dangers of placing all his hopes and dreams in his career. Having called himself a Christian for all of his life, Marnus only came to own his faith in his late teens, when he chose to “commit my life to the Lord.”
“Sport is a fickle game and injuries play a big part. In the big scheme of things, what you’re worth, what you put your value in, isn’t out there on the pitch; it’s internal and in Christ.
“That’s a massive thing for me because cricket is always going to be up and down and if you have a constant [Jesus Christ] in your life, it makes life a lot easier.”
His mother has been particularly helpful to Marnus, leaving Bible verses around the house and even writing them in his cricket shoes.
“You look down when you’re putting your shoes on and you really give glory to God because he’s blessed you right at this moment.”