Cullen, Carey and Smith join squad for Kent clash

29 Jul 2017 | Cricket
Head Coach Robert Croft has shuffled his squad selection for tomorrow’s clash with Kent, calling up Tom Cullen, Lukas Carey and Ruaidhri Smith to the first team for the trip to Canterbury.

Glamorgan are in superb form away from home, picking up victories in all three games so far in the competition against Essex, Sussex and Gloucestershire to sit top of the South group despite suffering four wash outs in Cardiff.  

Although a number of key players are in good form, there's competition for places with Second team players demonstrating their talents in T20 clashes recently, notably at Taunton Vale this week, where Selman, Smith and Carey earned deserving mentions. 

Left-arm seamer Graham Wagg picked up his 100th wicket in T20 cricket during the victory against Gloucestershire at Bristol in front of the Sky Sports cameras and is hoping the players can get back on the field to keep the winning away run going at the Spitfire Ground.

"It’s been really frustrating sat in the dressing room particularly for the home games that we’ve had washed out," said Wagg. "We can’t control the weather though so we just prepare the best we can.

"The guys are good spirits and we’re playing some fantastic cricket individually and as a collective, so we’re pleased where we are at the moment.

"I was stuck on 99 for three games, so took a while for the 100 to come. It’s a good achievement to get 100 T20 wickets. I wasn’t aware of the milestone myself, but I had a message from my father and Hoges knew as well. I actually had a message on the way back home from Dean Cosker after Gloucestershire too and he got 100 just for Glamorgan which is a fantastic achievement for him too.

As well as X factor bowlers, Glamorgan's batting line up has fired this season with Ingram in scintillating form, whilst Rudolph and Cooke have consistently contributed and Miller and Wagg have also hit fifties.

"You look down our batting order and with the likes of David Miller the strength in our batting line-up is amazing," said Wagg. "It’s good to sit on the sideline and watch them strike the ball round the park."

The previous T20 match in the Garden of England saw Glamorgan  win by one run in a nail-biting encounter at Tunbridge Wells in 2015, thanks to a fine performance with bat and ball by Graham Wagg. The all-rounder  struck a typically forthright fifty  before delivering a frugal closing spell.

"I know where I am in terms of the role I play, coming in after so many overs and Cooky (Chris Cooke) is the same. Unless we lose a lot of wickets, I know where I’m coming in and my role in the team.

"Hopefully there’s plenty more in the tank for me, I still feel there’s plenty more for me to give."

Glamorgan (15-man) squad to face Kent at Canterbury: Rudolph (c), Carey, Cooke, Cullen, De Lange, Donald, Hogan, Ingram, Meschede, Miller, Salter, Selman, Smith, van der Gugten, Wagg

Kent (13-man) squad: Bell-Drummond, Denly, Northeast, Billings, Neesham, Blake, Dickson, Stevens, Haggett, Coles, Tredwell, Claydon, Qayyam