5 Jul 2015 | Cricket
After months of planning Glamorgan are ready to stage the first Ashes Test Match of the 2015 Investec Series which starts at The SSE SWALEC, Cardiff on Wednesday (8th July), on the same date as it did six years ago.
The England players arrived in Cardiff earlier and visited Tafwyl at Cardiff Caste. Despite the intervention of a tumultuous rain shower, the players enjoyed themselves as did the supporters who had the chance to meet their heroes.
Match tickets for the first four days sold out some weeks before the Test Match, the demand for Ashes cricket in Wales remains as strong as it did for the 2009 Test staged in the Welsh capital and Glamorgan are ready to welcome the world's attention.
This has been something we have been planning for a long period of time, said Glamorgan chief executive Hugh Morris.
Test tickets locally have gone very well and the profile of Cardiff and the city's ability to host major events is there in the media spotlight and will only ramp up over the next few days.
These five days are very important to us. Not just because of the investment in cricket in Glamorgan, but for the profile of the sport in Wales.
Everyone is really excited and we are putting the last preparations in place with a lick of paint here and there.
Some national media and television have repeated claims that the Test Match shouldn't be in Cardiff, as they did in 2009, but the team behind the scenes at Glamorgan are prepared to put on a great show for everyone as they did six years ago.
We are fortunate to have the Test and are intent on doing a good job, explains Morris.
We are the England and Wales Cricket Board, but staging games is a very competitive market, with seven Test Matches each summer and nine Test match grounds in England and Wales.
This is one of the blue ribband event and everyone wants to be hosting an Ashes Test match.
There is a great atmosphere when this place is full. Those people who were lucky enough to be here on day five last time will remember that remarkable atmosphere.
We have learned a lot of lessons from the 2009 Test and have also looked at other grounds. We want to ensure anybody who comes to the ground over the five days has a great time.
In 2009 Hugh Morris was Managing Director of England Cricket and was proud to return to Glamorgan to see the show the venue was able to put on and now back in Wales full-time as Glamorgan chief executive, Hugh knows the support the team will receive in Cardiff.
I am a very proud Welshman and was also fortunate enough to represent England.
Everyone embraced the England team in 2009 and have continued to do so in all the internationals they have played here ever since. That will continue this week. England did well to hold on and ultimately that was so important in winning that series.
The warm Welsh welcome that we want to provide is something unique and special to us. We also have a few surprises planned and hopefully everyone will have a great time. Fingers crossed, we have the weather!
With England's form improving in recent weeks especially during the recent ODI success against much fancied New Zealand, there is even renewed optimism on the field that the home team will put up a fight against the tourists.
In recent weeks it's been great to watch England added Morris.
They have played an exciting brand of cricket and recaptured the imagination of the public. It would be great to take that confidence into the Test series.
As before every Test, there has been interest in the what sort of wicket will be produced so the England young guns can display their talents.
We want to be playing on a decent surface that will give five days of entertainment and good cricket, added Morris
We have had a variety of pitches this summer. The preparation for a Test match is different to a one-day or county championship game.
Our groundsman has been working very hard and fingers crossed it will be a good surface and emulate 2009 which went to the final ball.
The fairytale would be England winning off the final ball of the last day this time! joked Morris.