Glamorgan chief executive Hugh Morris and Chairman Barry O’Brien delivered a keynote speech to the Welsh Assembly yesterday [Thursday] - “Presenting Wales to the World- the future of cricket in Wales”.
Morris, who addressed Assembly members, representatives of the cricket community and other stakeholders, also outlined the latest developments in proposals for a new T20 competition to run from 2020, which were discussed in meetings in London attended by Glamorgan and the other 17 first-class counties this week.
Morris told the Assembly that Glamorgan are supportive of the new competition. “It has the potential to underpin the finances of the first-class game in England and Wales, and just as importantly to have a fundamental impact on the growth of the game in Wales,” he said.
“It also provides us with a real opportunity of establishing cricket as the national summer sport here in Wales.
“Twenty20 cricket has a real resonance with young people,” Morris added. “You only have to look at the Big Bash competition in Australia, and how it has attracted new audiences to the game - participation has gone up 45% during the past couple of years.”
Glamorgan’s SSE SWALEC stadium, as an established international venue, has a strong claim to be one of the grounds hosting the competition - especially as Cardiff has proved to be one of the great sporting cities in the UK, with its track record of hosting FA Cup finals, two Ashes Tests, various Rugby League and Union finals, and this June the Champions League final.
Morris explained that Glamorgan will also benefit financially from the new proposals, with each county guaranteed a minimum annual payment of £1.3m from the ECB, and a further sum for staging games. He added that a successful new competition will “benefit not only Glamorgan, but also our capital city and the whole of Wales”.
The event started with pupils from two local primary schools demonstrating the new All Stars Cricket programme in Cardiff Bay. This new grassroots programme, aimed at 5-8 year olds has been launched nationwide and been extremely well supported in Wales with more than 120 schools joining the scheme.
Meanwhile, Glamorgan’s players will again be involved in NatWest Cricket Force this weekend, a national initiative aimed at cricket clubs throughout the country on the eve of the season. Projects range from simple paint jobs, cleaning sightscreens, and at some clubs erecting new changing rooms – and the Glamorgan professionals will again be rolling their sleeves up to help out.