Story The return of the Red Dragon

[JackPKDennison]

Pre-Season Preview

With 2009 shaping up to be the biggest year in the history of Welsh cricket as not only cricket but Test cricket comes to the city of Cadiff. With growing intrest in the county game Glamorgan who represent the Welsh in the English county game must look to improve upon a run of dissapointing seasons. Most recently in 2008 they finished effectivly 17th in the LV County Championship and won just 1 Friends Provident Trophy game. Later in the season the side managed a respectable 3rd in the Pro40 league 2nd Division but lost the promotion play off to Worcestershire. The Twenty20 Cup saw more encouaging results as the side made the Quater-finals.

The poor results brought about an internal shake up with Jack Dennison brought in to coach the side in 2009 as the managment look to progress into the future to build upon the history of the club. 3 County Championship victories with the latest in 1997 and sucess in the early 21st centuary in the one day format with 2 victories in the National League to go with a Sunday League victory in 1993.

The 2009 squad is young with just 5 over 30's in the 21 man squad. 5 members of the squad have varying levels of international experiance. 38 year old Robert Croft being the only man to play Test cricket but it is the younger members of the squad who will be looking to make an impact on Dennison. Tom Maynard, son of Matthew, and Gareth Rees are two young stars with the bat. A number of bowlers look to be on the verge of breakig in to the first XI but the stand out youngster is James Harris. The 18 year old Welshman born in Swansea has played for a number of International age group sides and is a star for the future.

Batting pressure falls on a number of key players including Australian overseas player Mark Cosgrove former England international Jamie Dalrymple and Micheal Powell. Their support will be crutial for the development of the younger players and the sucess of the club. Spin at the Swalec Stadium could play a key role with Croft and Dalrymple supported by Dean Cosker. The seam attack lead by more experianced players in Garnett Kruger, David Harrison and Alex Warf with the likes of Adam Shantry, Jamie Harris and a wealth of younger players also looking for a seamers slot. The season begins with a difficult 50 over game at Lancashire and a home fixture against Middlesex in the County Championship Division 2.

 

[JackPKDennison]

Lancs Cruise to 8 Wicket Victory

An unbeaten 127 by Paul Horton saw Glamorgan thrashed in their first fixture of the season. Tight bowling from the Lanashire attack restricted the Glamorgan batsmen to just 193 after captain Micheal Powell won the toss and chose to bat. Horton scored the majority of his sides runs as Glamorgans bowling attack failed to put any pressure on the batsmen.

Despite a quick start from Rees and Powell, James Anderson claimed the wicket of Rees for 26 but Glamorgan still looked wellset on 53 for 1 after 11 overs. After Powell and Dalrymple fell in the same over to Greg Chapple ark Cosgrove and Tom Maynard found it hard to score as Lancashire turned the screw. 26 of 53 for Cosgrove and 39 of 78 for Maynard was not enough to produce a competitive total.

Economical bowling from Mahmood and Smith as well as wickets for Anderson, Keedy and Chapple who also took 3 for. In the second innings only Croft could produce an economical spell of bowling as Horton with the support of du Plessis saw the Lightning home. James Harris picked up the dangerous Loye but the young star and the two openers Harrison and Shantry went at over a run a ball despite a good start. Croft's 10 overs for 46 was not backed up by Cosker or Dalrymple and despite the fall of du Plessis for 40. Horton hit the winning runs as Lancashire had over 15 overs to spare and a power play.

Glamorgan 193 for 7 of 50 overs
M Powell 40 T Maynard 39
G Chapple 3-33 G Keedy 2-37

Lancashire 197 for 2 of 33.3 overs
P Horton 127* F du Plessis 40
J Dalrymple 1-31 J Harris 1-37

Man of the Match Paul Horton

 

[Ollie_H]

Nice write up mate, Poor total that you posted there though, the glamorgan batsmen need to do better next time, although that knock from Horton seems to have been a gem!