County Championship 2021: Glamorgan preview

Captain

Chris Cooke

Last year

6/6 Central Group

Player movements

In: James Weighell (Leics), Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser (both Aus), Andrew Balbirnie (Ire)
Out: Marchant de Lange (Somerset), Kieran Bull, Connor Brown, Owen Morgan, Graham Wagg (all released)

Key player

Marnus Labuschagne – the Australian made a big impression at Glamorgan in 2019, scoring runs for fun and quickly forging a strong relationship with the club. A stratospheric rise followed, and he has pointed to his spell in county cricket as a trigger in that process.

Covid prevented his return to Wales last summer but he has signed a new deal taking him up until the end of the 2022 season. Ireland’s Andrew Balbirnie will deputise for Labuschagne until his arrival in May.

Bolter

Callum Taylor – born in Newport but raised in Queensland, the 22-year-old became the fourth Glamorgan batsman to score a century on first-class debut when he hit 106 from 94 balls, including six sixes, against Northamptonshire last August, sharing an extraordinary 10th-wicket partnership of 124 with Michael Hogan.

Keep an eye out too for Alex Horton, a 17-year-old keeper-batsman with real potential who could get a taste of first-team cricket this summer.

County Championship 2021: Glamorgan Fixtures

Yorkshire v Glamorgan, Emerald Headingley, Thursday, April 8
Glamorgan v Sussex, Sophia Gardens, Thursday, April 15
Northamptonshire v Glamorgan, The County Ground, Thursday, April 22
Glamorgan v Kent, Sophia Gardens, Thursday, April 29
Lancashire v Glamorgan, Emirates Old Trafford, Thursday, May 6
Glamorgan v Yorkshire, Sophia Gardens, Thursday, May 13
Kent v Glamorgan, Canterbury, Thursday, May 20
Glamorgan v Lancashire, Colwyn Bay, Thursday, June 3
Sussex v Glamorgan, The 1st Central County Ground, Sunday, July 4
Glamorgan v Northamptonshire, Sophia Gardens, Sunday, July 11

You can check the full list of County Championship fixtures here.

Wisden says

After going winless in last season’s BWT, Glamorgan supporters will hope the re-signing of Labuschagne and the arrival of Aussie seamer Michael Neser can rekindle the form which saw the club flirt with promotion in 2019. Hogan, now 39, will appreciate the support from Neser after proving uncharacteristically ineffective last year.

Prediction

1st in Division 3