Glamorgan are involved in a double-header against Wiltshire on Friday 30 May with both their men’s and women’s teams taking part in the back-to-back showcase 20 overs games at the County Ground in Swindon. (writes Andrew Hignell)
Wiltshire are very appropriate opponents for this National Counties showcase match, following the alignment of the English county with Glamorgan in the re-structured women’s game, with youngsters from Wiltshire being chosen in the Girls Academy, and Pathway programme, based at Sophia Gardens, with their development being overseen by coaches from both counties.
The Glamorgan Women's team have already enjoyed plenty of success in their white ball matches, over both 50 and 20 overs, but as far as the Men are concerned, this will be their first white ball match of the season and the first since September 2024 when they beat Somerset at Trent Bridge to win the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
Wiltshire were also the Glamorgan Men's opponents last summer in a 50-overs contest at Swindon which the Welsh county won by seven wickets with Asa Tribe making an unbeaten 93 on his 1st XI debut and Tom Bevan scoring 65 as they successfully chased a target of 237. Earlier, Ben Morris had taken 4/57 in his ten overs after Wiltshire had been put in to bat.
Wiltshire had also been one of Glamorgan’s regular opponents during their days as a Minor County between 1897 and 1920, with the Welsh county winning 18 of the 34 contests and losing 7. The final Minor County games saw Glamorgan winning the contest at Cardiff Arms Park in late July 1920 by eight wickets, before drawing the return game the following week at Marlborough College.
In late April 1969 Glamorgan also arranged a pair of one-day friendlies at Chippenham and Devizes as Tony Lewis and his team prepared for what proved to be their Championship-winning summer, whilst in subsequent years there have also been games between Wiltshire and Glamorgan’s 2nd XI.
Entry is free of charge with the Women’s game starting at 1300 and the Men’s contest getting underway at 1700. Below are the two squads which have been named for these back-to-back contests:
Glamorgan Women (from): Lauren Parfitt (capt), Liv Daniels, Bea Ellis, Bethan Gammon, Charlotte Scarborough, Rebecca Halliday, Eve Jackson, Sara Phillips, Gemma Porter, Nicole Reid, Libby Thomas and Emily Geach.
Glamorgan Men (from):Kiran Carlson (capt), Will Smale, Alex Horton, Tom Bevan, Eddie Byrom, Hayden Kerr, Dan Douthwaite, Mason Crane, Andy Gorvin, James Harris, Ned Leonard and Callum Nicholls.