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!
