Glamorgan travel to Chelmsford for their Royal London One-Day Cup clash with Essex without three of their leading players.
Shaun Marsh is joining the Australian One-Day squad while Michael Hogan and Marchant De Lange are suffering from hamstring injuries.
Although Head Coach Robert Croft is naturally disappointed after losing their four opening games- “two of them could have gone either way”- he has been very pleased with the performances of the younger players, “which bodes well for the future of Glamorgan Cricket”.
“It takes three to five years to develop young players, but already many of them are making significant contributions. It takes me back to our championship winning year in 1997 when many of that team - James, Dale, Watkin, Croft, Cottey etc all came through together, then played for the Colts before graduating to the First Eleven.
“I can see this happening with our young players, and I look forward to them developing further, and having successful careers,” adds Croft.
“Nick Selman (22), scored four championship centuries last year, and made 92 against Kent in the 50 over game last week, while David Lloyd is improving with every game and is a model young professional. Kiran Carlson, Aneurin Donald - who already has a championship double century to his name - and Jack Murphy, are others who are going to be key players in Glamorgan’s future.”
Among the bowlers, seamer Lukas Carey, in only his second full season, is already confirming the promise he showed last year “and has exceeded expectations in the 50 over game. He dismissed the openers in his first spell against Somerset and has only marginally conceded four runs an over in his other games.
“Ruaidrhi Smith is another young seamer who has been on the sidelines for most of his young career, but when given the opportunity in the absence of Hogan and De Lange last week, he responded by taking two early wickets."
Article written by Edward Bevan for the ECB Reporters' Network