Friday, March 26, 2010

Glamorgan Season Preview 2010

2009 in a nutshell:

Final placings:

Championship Division Two – 5th;

FP Trophy – 4th Group D;

Twenty20 Cup – 5th Midlands Wales West group

Pro 40 Division Two – 6th

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Glamorgan ended the 2009 season still in contention for a Championship promotion with 2 days of the campaign left, but also as a team whose progress in 4 day cricket was somewhat offset by poor displays in limited overs cricket.

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Off the field, last year will, of course, forever be synonymous in Glamorgan’s history with the very successful hosting of its first Test Match, the 1st Ashes Test, the final day of which set the tone for much of the excitement to follow in that series

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2010 prospects:

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Changes:

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Out go Alex Wharf (retired through injury) and the underperforming Ryan Watkins and Mike O’Shea. We also said goodbye to our dreadful Kolpak signing, ineffective paceman Garnet Kruger.

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In come Shaun Tait (Australia) for Twenty 20, and bit ’n ’pieces all rounders Nick James (Warwickshire) and David Brown (Gloucestershire).

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Batting:

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Mark Cosgrove returns for a full season after an excellent 2009 in which he averaged 63 in Championship cricket. He may not be the sexiest overseas name on the county circuit, and is certainly one of the less athletic looking, but the lad can really bat in all cricket.

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Elsewhere, opener Gareth Rees is good for the best part of 1,000 runs, and needs to cement a place in the limited overs side. Mike Powell is solid, but has an unclear future in the shorter game, whilst captain Jamie Dalrymple oozes class and leads by example. Will Bragg, Ben Wright and Tom Maynard need to do more.

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Bowling:

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Barring injury, it’s difficult to see the leading wicket taker being anyone other than a certain R.D.B. Croft. The veteran off spinner is as good as ever as he closes in on 40 years of age and 1,000 first class wickets for Glamorgan. Together with beneficiary Dean Cosker, the spin twins will get through plenty of overs, especially in the second half of the season.

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In terms of seam, James Harris is the class act, and is on England’s radar. Adam Shantry will provide steady left arm support, whilst all rounder Jim Allenby, signed from Leicestershire, is a handy first change option. David Harrison needs a good season and the bustling Chris Ashling will provide back up along with Huw Waters.

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Probable side:
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Championship

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Rees

Cosgrove

Bragg

Powell

Dalrymple*

Allenby

Mark Wallace+

Croft

Harris

Shantry

Cosker (Harrison if only one spinner)

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Pressing for places:

Maynard and Wright (batting)

Ashling (bowling)

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Squad members:

James, Brown, Waters

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One day and Twenty20

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Cosgrove

Dalrymple*

Rees

Maynard

Wright

Allenby

Wallace+

Croft

Harris

Cosker

Tait (in T20)

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Key Man – James Harris

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Glamorgan’s seam attack looks thin enough as it is, but should injury befall our super young seamer, then Glamorgan can expect some long days in the field.

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With Steven Finn (Middlesex) having broken through to the England set-up in Bangladesh then surely the next ‘cabs off the rank’ of young England pacemen are Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) and our own Harris. Along with Stuart Broad, they could form England’s Ashes attack in 2013.

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A fit and firing Harris is needed is Glamorgan are to challenge seriously.

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Rising Star – Tom Maynard
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At 21 years of age, the time is coming for Maynard the 2nd to deliver. There really is no doubting the guy’s ability to play the shots, it’s selecting them that seems to be a touch more difficult.

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In a cricketing world offering huge riches to batsmen who can hit a long ball with superfast bat speed, it really is time for Matthew’s son Tom to become his own man.

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A brilliant 57 ball century in the 40 over league at Colwyn Bay last August versus Northants guarantees his place in the white ball side, but he really needs to nail a spot in the longer game as well.

Captain and Coach

Matthew Maynard came in with a three year plan in 2008; now the third year is upon us. He has rid the squad of much deadwood, David Hemp, Richard Grant, and Ryan Watkins, to name a few. The side is far more competitive in 4 day cricket, but progress in one-day cricket needs to be more tangible (as Chairman Paul Russell made brutally clear at the end of last season). Glamorgan’s long suffering faithful are overdue a big day out.


Prediction and aspiration

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Championship – I’d love to see us squeeze into the 2nd promotion spot, but we just seem to lack the firepower to take 20 wickets with any regularity. I’m afraid it’s another year of mid table water treading.

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Twenty 20 – This is the one we’ll target in a big way, but so will all of the other counties. We’ll compete, but the batting is too short on big guns to seriously challenge in the tough South pool against the likes of Hampshire and Kent. Shaun Tait had a great winter in Australia and will take wickets, but watch out for his ‘5 wides’ down the leg side!

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40 over league – Possibly Glamorgan’s best chance of a challenge. Somerset, Surrey, Sussex and Lancashire are hard group opponents, so home and away wins versus Worcestershire and the Unicorns Recreational XI are essential. Let’s remain optimistic for a semi-final play off place!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Ebbw Vale 13 Newport 16

For the 4th time in the last five games, Ebbw Vale scrapped their guts out for a losing bonus point, but again it failed to be enough as the superior power and pace of Newport saw the 'Black and Ambers' home for a double over the Steelmen.

100% to Ebbw for effort and commitment, and defence of the goal line.

But to be blunt, they did well to come away with a bonus point. They were stuffed in nearly every scrum (only Rhys Williams's strength and skill at Number 8 protected possession) and they lost half of the lineouts on their throw. Newport supporters must be wondering how they didn't score more than 2 tries.

Clearly, Ebbw have to beat Pontypool and the Wanderers, and hope that results go our way.

As an aside, it's a disgrace that the WRU could supply only one linesman. The Newport RFC 'official' running the line was the most disinterested person in the ground. 'If' he had flagged for the shoeing of Rhys in the first half, then that would have meant penalty reveresed and three less points for them.

Again, the refereeing was poor, not biased, just poor. Each breakdown had more people off their feet than a student sit in, and a 'proper' ref could have dished out about 4 yellows.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Upcoming gigs......

It may be all gloom and doom as far as my rugby team are concerned, but rock'n'roll will never die as long as certain bands keep plying their trade.
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This spring looks really good:
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Bad Company (you tube): April 5th, CIA
Budgie: April 16th, Pontypridd Muni
UFO: April 29th, Millenium Plaza, Cardiff
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Top quality.
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And this year's Hard Rock Hell (the 4th, held in Prestatyn in December) looks superb - already announced are UFO, MSG, Uriah Heep, Diamond Head, Skid Row and Di-Anno singing the 1st 2 Iron Maiden albums.
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Brilliant!

Cross Keys away Sunday

Ebbw Vale make the short trip to Cross Keys on Sunday afternoon, as their battle to stay in the Welsh Premiership gets increasingly desperate.
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With Pontypool recording 2 recent home wins, and more home games to come for them, it's so critical for Ebbw Vale to start picking up points, preferably wins.
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Unless they do, then the unthinkable will happen, in that it'll be Division One East for Ebbw with glamorous away trips to Bedlinog and Fleur-De-Lys to look forward to (or not).
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Maybe it'll be worse than that. I actually fear for the club's future and our ability to put 15 on the pitch should we lose our top flight status.
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Sad times.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Ebbw Vale 8 Carmarthen Quins 13

Any relief felt by Ebbw Vale fans that their patched up side gained a losing bonus point versus the Quins quickly dissapated when news of Pontypool's victory over Swansea filtered through.
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This was a scrapping display by the Vale, who were missing No. 8 Rhys Williams and the injured 2nd row duo from the last match, and their efforts were so nearly rewarded during a phase of sustained pressure late in the game (here).
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Unfortunately, streetwise defence from Carmarthen combined with an inconsistent and borderline arrogant refereeing display from Huw Watkins doubled up as an insurmountable barrier for the injury ravaged Steelmen.
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Friday, March 5, 2010

Carmarthen Quins home

Big game for the Vale tomorrow against the Quins.
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Despite some injury blows in the 2nd row, we really need at least a losing bonus point again tomorrow, if not more.
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Big effort lads, this can put real distance between us and Pontypool.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Coming soon...

Although the temperature may not feel like it, the cricket season is barely weeks away.
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I'll shortly be writing my Glamorgan Season Preview.....
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..watch this space..

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Ebbw Vale 15 Aberavon 19

Ebbw Vale came away from last night's league match at ECP with a losing bonus point, but could have snatched victory following a dogged display up front and some determined tackling all round.
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That said, 'Avon scored two tries to our zero, helped by an appalling refereeing display which involved the non-appearance of a single yellow card for the persistent offenders from the West.
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We've got Carmarthen Quins at home on Saturday, a match we can and need to win.
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There's definitely more shape to Ebbw under Rowland Phillips, and, if the improvement continues, we can secure our top flight status.