Glamorgan meet Pakistan A at Spytty Park, Newport on Friday July 15th (start time 10.30pm) in what will be the Welsh county’s first game against an international touring team since their draw against the West Indies A at The SWALEC Stadium in 2010.
Friday’s contest at Newport is a 50-overs contest and it will be Glamorgan’s third List A game against overseas opposition, following their defeat to Sri Lanka A by 141 runs at Sophia Gardens in 2004, plus their four-wicket victory over the West Indies A at Ebbw Vale in 2006 when David Hemp made an unbeaten 79 to steer his side to a stirring victory.
Glamorgan have also played a series of first-class matches against international A teams, starting with a contest at The Gnoll in 1995 against the Young Australians. The contest at Neath twenty-one years ago saw Tony Cottey post an unbeaten 123, whilst Justin Langer made an unbeaten century for the tourists.
In 1996 Glamorgan met South Africa A at Sophia Gardens, with the tourists being coached by Duncan Fletcher, who was subsequently to take on the same role with Glamorgan before joining England. The Proteas included Jacques Kallis in their line-up with the tourists winning the contest on the second day by an innings and 44 runs.
Swansea hosted Glamorgan’s games against India A in 2003 and Sri Lanka A the following year, before in 2005 Glamorgan travelled to Abergavenny for a rain-affected draw against Bangladesh A. Glamorgan’s most recent first-class contest against an overseas team was their draw against West Indies A at The SWALEC Stadium in 2010, in a contest where David Brown made 99 for the Welsh county.
The one-day game at Spytty Park marks the return of county cricket to Newport. Glamorgan used to play regularly at Rodney Parade following their merger with Monmouthshire in 1935. In all, it hosted 27 Championship matches until 1965, plus four List A games.
Glamorgan’s final game at the Rodney Parade ground came on June 24th, 1990 but the One-Day League match against Yorkshire was washed out without a ball being bowled. Since then the pavilion has been demolished and the historic ground redeveloped, with Newport CC moving to Spytty Park in the south of the city.
Spytty Park has regularly staged Second Eleven matches for Glamorgan since 1997, as well as Wales Minor County games since 1998. The ground has also been used by Cardiff MCCU, the Glamorgan and Wales Academy, plus Wales age-group teams, whilst during the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013, several of the international teams used Spytty Park for their practice sessions.