Rob Page Sacked As Wales Manager
Rhodri Evans
Wales manager Rob Page has had his contract ended by the Football Association of Wales (FAW).
The decision to sack Page, 49, has come after failing to qualify for EURO 2024 and recent poor results in friendlies against Gibraltar and Slovakia.
Page led the nation to a first World Cup in 64 years, as well as the round of 16 at EURO 2020.
The former Port Vale and Northampton Town boss took charge of Cymru on an interim basis in November 2020, and was given a permanent contract in September 2022.
Prior to being Wales coach, Page led Wales U17, U19, and U21 sides and helped bring through a new generation of Welsh talent.
The likes of Joe Rodon, Nico Williams, Ethan Ampadu, Brennan Johnson, Daniel James, and Harry Wilson have all become regulars under Page.
“I would like to thank Rob for his work with the Association over the last seven years, firstly as the U21s Head Coach and then onto the role of Cymru Head Coach,” said Dave Adams, FAW Chief Football Officer.
“Rob’s work has delivered success reaching the Round of 16 at EURO 2020 and qualification to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and during his period we also integrated 18 pathway players into the senior squad. As we move forward this experience will support our objective to consistently qualify our Men’s National Team to major tournaments.”
Noel Mooney, FAW Chief Executive Officer said, “On behalf of myself and the entire FAW, I extend our heartfelt gratitude to Rob for his commitment and dedication to his roles for the National Teams.”
“Under Rob Page’s leadership, our Cymru men’s team has achieved significant milestones and victories which have created many incredible memories for our nation, most notably our first World Cup in sixty-four years.”
“We remain focused on our FAW value of ‘Excellence’ and look forward to the opportunities for our national teams and Welsh Football.”
FAW President, Steve Williams commented: “I am incredibly grateful for all that Rob has done in his role as Cymru Men’s National Team Manager and I want to put on record my gratitude for taking Cymru to EURO 2020 and the FIFA World Cup.”
“Rob’s passion for the country shone through in his visits to schools, clubs and communities across the breadth of Wales. I know Rob was incredibly proud of taking the World Cup squad announcement to his hometown of Tylorstown.”
Wales’ next game is the Nations League opener against Türkiye on 6 September, with a trip to Montenegro to come three days later.
World Cup qualifying for European nations begins in spring 2025.
What’s Next For Wales?
Attention now turns to who will be in charge for Wales next game, that Nations League fixture with Türkiye in September.
Sportin Wales sponsor DragonBet have collated the odds for who the Wales manager will be:
Osian Roberts Evens
Craig Bellamy 3/1
Nathan Jones 16/1
Chris Coleman 16/1
Nathan Jones 16/1
Rob Edwards 25/1
Mark Hughes 25/1
Tony Pulis 33/1
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 33/1
Ryan Giggs 33/1
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Spotlight On: Gloucestershire - Glamorgan's Next T20 Opponent
Rhodri Evans
After an inconsistent start to their T20 Blast campaign. Glamorgan take on Gloucestershire at Sophia Gardens on Thursday evening. This is the third in our series profiling each opponent that Glamorgan will face in this season’s T20 Blast.
Gloucestershire, coached by Mark Alleyne and captained by Jack Taylor in white ball cricket, are based at the Bristol County Ground in, you guessed it, Bristol.
Gloucestershire do not have much record to speak of in T20 cricket, despite excellent white ball pedigree in the 1990s and early 2000s. In the 21 editions of the T20 Blast, Gloucestershire have only gone beyond the group stage seven times, reaching finals day three times.
Record This Season
Gloucestershire won their first game of the campaign in some style, beating Essex by 5 wickets and with 18 balls to spare.
The West Country County went on to lose their next three against Sussex, Hampshire, and Sussex again.
They do come into this one with some form behind them, though, having tied in dramatic fashion with favourites Surrey and then thrashing Kent last Sunday.
Key Man
The key men in the team are a pair of left arm seamers. Matt Taylor and David Payne are joint second in the tournament’s top wicket taking charts, with 13 each from six games.
Payne has the higher profile, having earnt England honours in 2022 and been a Welsh Fire player for the Hundred.
Both bowlers have taken their wickets at an excellent economy rate: 7.00 for Taylor and 6.04 for Payne.
Overseas Players
Gloucestershire have a pair of Australians as their overseas stars, opening batter Cameron Bancroft and towering all-rounder Beau Webster.
Bancroft, once the centre of the ‘sandpaper-gate’ storm, had previously been at Gloucestershire in 2016 and 2017, as well as playing for Durham and Somerset in the intervening seasons.
Webster has extensive experience in the Australian Big Bash, turning out for Hobart Hurricanes, Melbourne Renegades, and Melbourne Stars over the course of nine seasons. He offers a handy bowling option and a powerful presence in the middle order for Gloucestershire.
Past Glories
As mentioned, Gloucestershire do not have much T20 pedigree to speak of. Their best season came in 2007, when they lost in the final to Kent.
Iconic former players Hamish Marshall, Kadeer Ali, Jon Lewis, and Chris Taylor were not enough to stop a star-studded Kent side, that included Lasith Malinga, from winning the title.
Wildcard
Marchant de Lange may be the most wildcard player in the entire tournament.
Capable of the extraordinary, the South African-born bowler can reach speeds of 95mph, putting the fear into batters across the country.
He can, however, be wayward and expensive, but anyone willing to take on the 6”7 bowler is a brave cricketer.
Weaknesses
For all their seam bowling prowess, Gloucestershire are without a high-quality spinner in their side. Often this season, all-rounder Graeme van Buuren is their only spin option and with Sophia Gardens hosting some high scoring matches this season, the quality of spin that Glammy have in the form of Mason Crane and Marnus Labuschagne may decide this contest.
Gloucestershire also have a pretty inexperienced batting line-up, with their good performances this season entirely based around their seam bowling talent.
With experienced T20 bowlers in the form of Timm ver der Gugten and Jamie McIlroy, Glamorgan will be confident that they can make vital early in-roads into what is a relatively weaker batting line-up.
Glamorgan play Gloucestershire on Thursday 20th June, with play starting at 6:30pm. You can get your tickets at shop.ticketing.cm.com/glamorgan-ccc/
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'Shock' As Newport Make 'Tough' Decision To Sack Coughlan
Rhodri Evans
The reaction to Newport County’s decision to relive manager Graham Coughlan of his duties has been described as one of ‘shock’ by fans.
The League Two club announced that manager Graham Coughlan had left the club by mutual consent, with Chairman Huw Jenkins saying that they want to move in a “different direction”.
Coughlan, who had been in charge for 20 months at Rodney Parade, recently guided the club to an 18th place finish in League Two.
Jenkins, who gave his backing to Coughlan in April, has wished the 49-year-old manager well.
“I have total respect for Graham and found this decision particularly difficult to make considering all the hard work he has put in to help stabilise the club over the last 18 months,” he said in a club statement.
“It goes without saying that I wish Graham every success in his future managerial career.
“However, moving forward I must take the club and the team in a different direction and stay true to my own beliefs which I feel over time will bring sustained success to Newport County and hopefully change the club’s outlook for many years ahead.”
‘Tough’ Day At Rodney Parade
Former Newport County defender and club ambassador, Mark O’Brien says that the decision by the club was a “tough one” to make.
“It’s been a tough one today,” said O’Brien.
“The manager obviously has done great for the club In the time he was here, brought the fans some good memories of the cup again and unfortunately at crucial times in the season picking up injuries in the squad didn’t help.”
O’Brien, 31, retired from football in 2020 after heart surgery, believes that this decision is the beginning of an “exciting” period for the club.
“I can imagine it was a tough decision to make,” added O’Brien.
“But also the new owner has visions and great ideas for the future, which worked at previous clubs for him, that he’s wanting to implement at Newport, so as tough as the decision might have been this is the beginning of something that could be so exciting for this club.
“When I first signed here it was a club that had a vision which we proved it was possible. This is the same again.”
‘Shock’ But Fans Still Hopeful For Next Season
Sean Mills, a passionate Newport County fan who follows the Exiles home and away, spoke of the ‘shock’ of Thursday morning’s news, while still remaining ‘hopeful’ for next season.
“The decision to relieve Graham Coughlan of his duties (the official line is mutual consent, but reading the statement it’s clear this was owner Huw Jenkins’ decision) has caused shock and panic within the Newport County fanbase,” said Mills.
“Understandably so, as he was a popular manager who stabilised the club amidst a crisis and led us to two mid table finishes, even threatening a playoff charge at one-point last season.
“However, when Huw Jenkins took ownership of the club back in January, the feeling was that at some point he would want to put his own man in charge.”
In October 2023, Newport County Supporters Trust members voted in favour of selling a controlling interest 52% of shares in the club to Huw Jenkins, with the takeover confirmed by EFL and Newport County on 24 January 2024.
“Coughlan is a manager who wants his say on all aspects of the football club, whilst Huw Jenkins is an owner who wants his say on all aspects of the football club,” Mills explained.
“It seemed something had to give and there was only going to be one winner. The biggest proof of this is the fact we’ve lost a manager and we’ll be gaining a head coach. Clearly, Huw Jenkins will be running the ship now and it’ll be intriguing to see how it plays out.
“Ultimately, despite the shock of this morning’s news, I’m still hopeful for next season as we move to a completely new way of doing things under Jenkins.”
Rollercoaster Season
After back-to-back wins in March, Newport lost their last eight games of the season, sliding from a potential play-off push to the bottom half of the table.
Newport’s 2023/24 season was characterised by peaks a troughs. A solid start to the campaign was followed by a run of one win eleven in September and October, while the Christmas period brought five wins and two draws in seven games, including a memorable 1-0 victory over Wrexham at a packed out Rodney Parade.
Newport County also had a good run in the FA Cup, reaching the Fourth Round and giving Manchester United a scare before eventually going out to a 4-2 defeat.
Despite this, it is clear that that poor run at the end of the season has spelt the end of the relationship between Coughlan and Newport, who are yet to signal who will be in the dugout next season.
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Surprise Call-Up for Regan Grace As Giles Out Injured
Rhodri Evans
Wales have announced the shock call-up of former rugby league winger Regan Grace to their squad for the summer internationals.
The former St Helens man has replaced Keelan Giles, who has withdrawn with a groin injury. Grace joins the 39-man squad which, following this Saturday’s match with South Africa, will be cut to 34, ahead of the tour of Australia.
Warren Gatland has also announced that newly-signed Scarlets tighthead Henry Thomas has been ruled out of the South Africa game, with Keiron Assiratti now in line to start and Harri O’Connor coming onto the bench.
It is not thought that Henry Thomas’ injury will spell the end of his summer involvement, as he has not been released from the squad.
Grace Makes Squad After Long Injury Lay-Off
Grace, 27, recently made the switch from league to union and signed for Bath in February of this year.
His time in union has been blighted by injury. Grace ruptured his Achilles playing for St Helens in August 2022, a month after signing for French union side Racing 92. Having suffered a relapse of the same injury in February 2023, the winger never played for Racing before his release.
Grace made his name as a lethal finisher in rugby league, scoring 89 tries in 143 games for St Helens, winning three Super League Grand Finals and a Challenge Cup.
He initially signed on a short term deal with Bath, before being awarded a permanent contract. If he does play for Wales during this summer’s fixtures, his first competitive match of rugby union will be at international level.
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Coughlan Leaves Newport By Mutual Consent
Rhodri Evans
Newport County have announced that manager Graham Coughlan has left the club by mutual consent, with Chairman Huw Jenkins saying that they want to move in a “different direction”.
Coughlan, who had been in charge for 20 months at Rodney Parade, recently guided the club to an 18th place finish in League Two.
Jenkins, who gave his backing to Coughlan in April, has wished the 49-year-old manager well.
“I have total respect for Graham and found this decision particularly difficult to make considering all the hard work he has put in to help stabilise the club over the last 18 months,” he said in a club statement.
“It goes without saying that I wish Graham every success in his future managerial career.
“However, moving forward I must take the club and the team in a different direction and stay true to my own beliefs which I feel over time will bring sustained success to Newport County and hopefully change the club’s outlook for many years ahead.”
Rollercoaster Season
After back-to-back wins in March, Newport lost their last eight games of the season, sliding from a potential play-off push to the bottom half of the table.
Newport’s 2023/24 season was characterised by peaks a troughs. A solid start to the campaign was followed by a run of one win eleven in September and October, while the Christmas period brought five wins and two draws in seven games, including a memorable 1-0 victory over Wrexham at a packed out Rodney Parade.
Newport County also had a good run in the FA Cup, reaching the Fourth Round and giving Manchester United a scare before eventually going out to a 4-2 defeat.
Despite this, it is clear that that poor run at the end of the season has spelt the end of the relationship between Coughlan and Newport, who are yet to signal who will be in the dugout next season.
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Wales Goalkeeper Crisis: Who Should Page Pick?
Rhodri Evans
It is a conversation that resurfaces every international break, when Rob Page is asked who his keeper will be the for the upcoming qualifying, Nations League, or friendly match.
In recent years, the answer has been Danny Ward, with the occasional run in the side for Wayne Hennessey.
The next question, though, is always the tricker one. Why isn’t either goalkeeper playing for their club and what is being done to rectify the situation?
Since Ward’s breakout season with Aberdeen in 2015/16, which saw him make his Wales debut and appear in Wales’ historic 2-1 victory over Slovenia at EURO 2016, the Wrexham-born keeper has made 70 league starts in eight seasons.
For comparison, Ward has 41 Wales caps to date.
After signing for Liverpool from Wrexham in 2012 as a 19-year-old, Ward spent his penultimate season on loan at Huddersfield, helping them to promotion to the Premier League. Following a season as third choice at Anfield, Ward made a high profile move to Leicester City in 2018.
Despite the £12.5million paid for him, Ward was second choice behind Kasper Schmeichel. His struggles to make the starting eleven were juxtaposed with his international fortunes, as Ward established himself in the Wales team under Page, starting all four games at EURO 2020.
Ward finally got a run in the Leicester team in his fifth season at the King Power Stadium and was immediately put under scrutiny for his distribution and Leicester’s poor form.
Ward lost his place as number one goalkeeper in early 2023 and, under new manager Enzo Maresca, he remained second choice after 23-year-old Mads Hermansen was signed from Brondby IF for approximately £7.5million.
As recently as the March international break, Rob Page expressed sympathy for Ward’s situation but mistakes like the first goal conceded against Slovakia have not been infrequent enough for fans not to question his situation.
Ward has another year left on his contract at Leicester, who are now preparing for the Premier League, and it is clear he needs a move, whether on loan or permanently, in order to recapture his best form and be ready for international duty.
The other goalkeeper to share the vast majority of Wales’ goalkeeper duties is Wayne Hennessey.
Hennessey has over 100 caps for his country and will likely break Gareth Bale’s record of 111 appearances before the end of his career.
And yet, like Ward, Hennessey has not been the undisputed no.1 at club level for over six years, with the last four seasons totalling three league games at three clubs: Crystal Palace, Burnley, and Nottingham Forest.
Hennessey is another who has spoken with Page about his club situation, with the added blow of an Achilles injury complicating matters.
While Ward should be able to find a club, perhaps at a lower level than he has played at previously, Hennessey may find it difficult until he regains full fitness.
Nevertheless, Page has given his full backing behind both goalkeepers.
“I think the world of Wayne, everybody knows that, I have had him in every squad,” Page said in May.
“I will have a conversation in the next few days before we go on camp and see where his head’s at.
“He can’t find a club if he’s injured at this moment in time. So I think his focus will be on getting himself fit, getting himself in a position so that if he wants to continue playing he can do so.”
Page also admitted that he had attempted to persuade Ward to move earlier than this summer.
“I’ve spoken to Danny. It wasn’t a case of him not listening to my advice,” Page said in March.
“I had a couple of conversations with him. When you put your player head on, you get it, I understand it.
“When politics are involved and you’ve got a length of time left on your contract, it is not as easy as just getting out and playing games of football. There are many aspects to that.”
Outside of Ward and Hennessey, Wales’ goalkeeper options include Adam Davies and Tom King, neither of whom are playing regularly for their clubs.
In the 2023/24 season, Davies made one Carabao Cup appearance for Sheffield United in August, while King spent the season on the bench for Wolverhampton Wanderers, after a promising previous campaign on loan at Salford City and Northampton Town.
Neither are of the quality of Ward or Hennessey, but one feels that if they had been playing regularly, more opportunities may have arisen to take the goalkeeper shirt away from the two established options.
With a quieter Nations League B campaign coming up in the autumn, Page may look to share around the Wales no.1 shirt, with the aim of finding a more long term keeper.
If any one of the four options are playing regular club football come September and Wales’ opener against Türkiye, then they will have put themselves in an excellent position to fill the vacuum in goal for Cymru.
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Wales Team Announced: Debut For Bevan But Morgan Out Injured
Rhodri Evans
Scrumhalf Ellis Bevan will make his international debut for Wales in their match against South Africa on Saturday at Twickenham as Warren Gatland picks Dewi Lake as captain of an inexperienced side.
Gatland has given four players the chance to make their debuts, with Bevan starting and James Ratti, Eddie James, and Jacob Beetham set to make their first appearances from the bench.
Dewi Lake skippers the side and, along with Liam Williams, will play for Wales for the first time since the 2023 World Cup quarterfinal.
Lake lines up in the front row with Gareth and Henry Thomas, while Williams is joined by Rio Dyer and Cam Winnett in the back three.
Ratti is a surprise inclusion, with captain Jac Morgan out injured, the Ospreys second row joined the squad over the weekend.
Morgan has been released from the squad due to a hamstring issue, and will also not travel to Australia for Wales’ three fixtures.
On Morgan’s injury, Gatland said he was ‘gutted’ for his captain.
“He had a tight hamstring when he played against Munster, so we’ve been looking after him but unfortunately he’s been ruled out,” he said.
“It gives him the opportunity to have a full preseason.”
Morgan’s exclusion is good news for James Botham, who was only added to the squad on Monday, and lines up in the back row with Taine Plumtree and Aaron Wainwright.
Another late call up, Scarlets centre Eddie James, is on the bench, joined by regional teammates Gareth Davies and Kemsley Mathias.
Scrumhalf Davies is by far the most experienced player on the bench for Wales, with the other seven players totalling just 23 caps.
Along with the three uncapped players and Mathias, Evan Lloyd, Keiron Assiratti, and Mackenzie Martin are the others included on the bench.
Four Dragons players make the Wales XV, with Rio Dyer on the left wing, Wainwright at number eight, and Ben Carter and Matthew Screech taking their second row partnership into international rugby.
First Cap For Bevan
Gatland also spoke about Bevan’s ‘growth’ leading to his imminent international debut.
“He’s impressed us at training,” Gatland said.
“He’s got a left foot which gives us a different kicking option. The way he’s worked, the extras he’s done after training, he’s got a strong voice and been really positive about taking feedback from the coaches.
“We see a huge amount of growth in him and we wanted to find out about someone else in that position to give us some more depth.”
Grady Experiment At 12
A surprise call from the Wales coach was the decision to play Mason Grady at inside centre, while moving Owen Watkin to 13.
“The way the game is we are up against a really physical South Africa team,” Gatland said of his decision.
“It’s a chance for him [Grady] to get his hands on the ball more. A 12 ends up with the ball more than a 13 does.
“It’s a little easier to defend from 12 and with Owen’s experience at 13, it’s a good chance to see how he performs in that 13 jersey.
“Mason is not just someone who can carry, although we want him to do that, but there’s other aspects to his game like his offloading. We saw the impact he made against Italy.”
Boks Ring The Changes
South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has also selected four debutants in his matchday 23: Edwill van der Merwe and Jordan Hendrikse from the start, and Ben-Jason Dixon and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu from the bench.
2019 World Rugby player of the year Peter-Steph du Toit captains the side at Twickenham.
A total of 10 players in the matchday squad featured in the 2023 world cup final, while 16 players were members of the world cup squad.
South Africa’s pack includes seven world cup winners, including the likes of Ox Nche, Eben Etzebeth, Kwagga Smith, and Franco Mostert.
Wales Team: Cameron Winnett, Liam Williams, Owen Watkin, Mason Grady, Rio Dyer; Sam Costelow, Ellis Bevan; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake (captain), Henry Thomas; Matthew Screech, Ben Carter; Taine Plumtree, James Botham, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Kemsley Mathias, Kieron Assiratti, James Ratti, Mackenzie Martin, Gareth Davies, Eddie James, Jacob Beetham
South Africa Team: Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Faf de Klerk; Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Vincent Koch; Eden Etzebeth, Franco Mostert; Kwagga Smith, Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain), Evan Roos.
Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Frans Malherbe, Salmaa Moerat, Ben-Jason Dixon, Grant Williams, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian de Allende.
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Spotlight On: Somerset - Glamorgan's Next T20 Opponent
Rhodri Evans
After an inconsistent start to their T20 Blast campaign. Glamorgan take on Somerset at Sophia Gardens on Sunday afternoon. This is the second in our series profiling each opponent that Glamorgan will face in this season’s T20 Blast.
Somerset, coached by Jason Kerr and captained by Lewis Gregory, are based at the County Ground in Taunton. Somerset have an excellent recent history in all formats, winning the One-Day Cup in 2019, routinely competing at the top of Division One of the County Championship, and are reigning T20 Blast champions.
Record This Season
After a shaky start, which included winning and losing high scoring encounters with Essex and Kent, and then losing comprehensively against Surrey, Somerset have been dominant in their last two games.
Showing the form that won them the T20 Blast last season, Somerset piled on 241-5 against Hampshire last Sunday before bowling Middlesex out for just 78 on Tuesday.
That ability to perform with bat and ball when required is the hallmark of Somerset’s T20 excellence and they will be a real test for Glamorgan on Sunday.
Key Man
Somerset’s batting is very consistent, with one or two of their line-up stepping up each game. In the bowling ranks, however, one bowler stands out.
Ben Green has an extraordinary T20 bowling strike rate of 12.4 and is the top wicket taker in this year’s competition, with 13 wickets in five games. Green was also among the top wicket takers last season too, taking 30 in 17 games, placing second behind his former teammate Matt Henry.
Green’s standout performance so far this season was is 5-29 against Hampshire.
The 26-year-old is a handy batter too, often coming into bat at 7 or 8 to offer some late-order hitting to supplement the Somerset batting effort.
Overseas Players
After Matt Henry’s excellent season in 2023, Australian quick Riley Meredith had big shoes to fill in this Somerset team.
So far, Meredith has been more than worthy of his place in the line-up, taking nine wickets in four games, with an outstanding economy rate of just 6.13.
Tasmanian bowler is well known for his fast bowling, routinely pushing the speed gun beyond 90mph. He has also represented Australia at international level, making his One-Day International and T20 International debuts in 2021.
Past Glories
Somerset ended 18 years without T20 silverware with last season’s triumph. 2005’s victory may be a distant memory for some, but Somerset were exceptional that year, with South Africa legend Graeme Smith scoring 64* as the west country county comfortably beat Lancashire in the final at The Oval.
Last year, they were even better, losing just two of 17 games on their way to the title. At finals day their bowling attack came to the fore, bowling out two strong batting line-ups: Surrey in the semi-final, and Essex in the final.
Wildcard
Will Smeed is an exciting talent and a controversial figurehead for the development of English county cricket. Smeed, 22, has had a meteoric rise at Somerset and Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred, scoring the first 100 of the Hundred in 2022.
Just a couple of months after his breakout innings, Smeed signed a white ball only contract at Somerset, attracting criticism from some. His decision kick-started a conversation about the future of cricket, with the rise of T20 cricket and the decline of red ball cricket.
Smeed, though, has maintained his excellent form for Somerset, most recently scoring 68 from just 30 balls against Kent.
Weaknesses
Somerset are not without their flaws. While their batting line-up is formidable, they have been prone to collapse this season, most notably against Surrey. On that day, Surrey’s seam bowlers bowled an excellent attacking line, targeting the stumps and giving little width to the Somerset batters.
With experienced T20 bowlers in the form of Timm ver der Gugten and Jamie McIlroy, Glamorgan will be confident that they can make vital early in-roads into what is a strong batting line-up.
Glamorgan play Somerset on Sunday 16th June, with play starting at 3:00pm. You can get your tickets at shop.ticketing.cm.com/glamorgan-ccc/
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Spotlight On: Hampshire - Glamorgan's Next T20 Opponent
Rhodri Evans
After an inconsistent start to their T20 Blast campaign. Glamorgan take on Hampshire at Sophia Gardens on Thursday evening. This is the first in our series profiling each opponent that Glamorgan will face in this season’s T20 Blast.
Hampshire, coached by Adrian Birrell and captained by James Vince, are based at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton and are one of the lucky ‘test match’ counties, with the ground most recently hosting one day international cricket and the inaugural World Test Championship final between New Zealand and India.
Record This Season
Hampshire have an identical record to Glamorgan this season, with two wins and two loses in four games. Glamorgan’s excellent net run rate (NRR) has the Welsh county currently in fourth, compared to Hampshire, who are in seventh.
Most recently, they were comprehensively defeated by Somerset on Sunday. The West Country county piled on 241-5 in their 20 overs and then bowled Hampshire out for 178, winning by 63 runs, some margin in T20 cricket.
Ben McDermott was the shinning light of a dim performance, scoring 46 from 29 balls, including six fours and two sixes.
Key Man
Club captain James Vince is the highest run scorer in T20 Blast history and leads second place Joe Denly by more than 4,000 runs, such has been the batter’s dominance at this level.
Vince first topped the run scoring charts in 2017, when he scored 710 runs, before consecutive 670+ run seasons in 2022 and 2023.
Despite having started without a notable score this season, Vince will be key to Hants chances of registering a fourth Blast victory.
Overseas Players
The aforementioned Australian international Ben McDermott has been a part of Hampshire’s T20 side for the last three seasons, and most notably scoring 62 from 36 balls in the 2022 final, winning player of the match for his performance.
McDermott has been a part of Australia white-ball squads since his first call up in 2021, appearing in 25 T20s and 5 ODIs.
Hampshire’s other overseas this season this another Australian international: Michael Neser. Well known to the Glamorgan faithful after his three seasons in Cardiff from 2021 to 2023, Neser has hit the ground running on the south coast, taking 7 wickets and offering an excellent batting option at number nine in the Hampshire order.
Past Glories
Hampshire have excellent pedigree in the T20 Blast, having won the competition a record three times – joint with Leicestershire.
Victories over Somerset and Yorkshire in 2010 and 2012 were followed up in 2022 with a thrilling 1 run win over Lancashire.
Several Blast legends have worn the yellow and royal blue, including Sam Northeast, Michael Carberry, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Dominic Cork, Sean Ervine, and Jimmy Adams.
Wildcard
Has there been a bigger rise in recent years than that of John Turner? The 23-year-old speedster made his T20 debut for Hampshire at the start of the 2023 season and was called up to an England squad just 70 days later.
Turner has an exceptional T20 record: 21 wickets in 11 games in his record season, bowling high pace with a low economy rate. No wonder England came calling. Unfortunately, Turner is yet to appear in England colours, after suffering an injury to his side before his first series against New Zealand.
Such was the national team’s faith in his talent, Turner was called up again in November for England’s white ball series with West Indies. Further injury issues kept him away from that tour, meaning he did not play a game between August 2023 and February 2024.
However, Turner has seemingly put his injury troubles behind him, playing all four of Hampshire’s games this season, including a stellar performance against Gloucestershire, taking 3-24.
Weaknesses
Despite their excellent opening pair of Vince and McDermott, Hampshire’s middle order can be got at, particularly with high quality spin. They do compensate for this with a long batting line-up: against Somerset, Liam Dawson came in at eight and Neser at nine, but putting these all rounders under pressure is the key to victory for Glamorgan.
If Glamorgan’s spin twins, Mason Crane and Marnus Labuschagne, can perform as well as they did against Essex – taking 4-25 and 3-35 respectively – Glamorgan have a great chance of recording a third victory, and setting themselves well on their way to qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Glamorgan play Hampshire on Thursday 13th June, with play starting at 6:30pm. You can get your tickets at shop.ticketing.cm.com/glamorgan-ccc/
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Enhancing Your Golf: Training Tips To Improve Your Game
Rhodri Evans
By Zach Gould Golf Fitness Coach
In the pursuit of mastering the art of golf, maintaining motivation to hit the gym can significantly impact your performance on the course. Here are some essential tips to keep you fired up for those gym sessions, ultimately enhancing your golf game.
Staying Motivated in the Gym for Golf Success
- Set Weekly Goals:
To keep your gym sessions purposeful, set clear and achievable goals on a weekly basis. These goals can be either process-oriented, focusing on the steps you need to take, or outcome-related, aiming for specific results like improved strength or flexibility. By breaking down your fitness objectives into manageable chunks, you’ll stay motivated and track your progress effectively.
- Find an Accountability Partner:
Having someone to hold you accountable can make all the difference in maintaining consistency with your gym routine. Whether it’s a close friend who shares your fitness goals or a knowledgeable trainer, having someone to check in with and share your successes and challenges can provide the extra push you need to stay committed.
- Variety is Key:
Combat boredom and keep your motivation high by regularly changing up your workout routine. Every four weeks, introduce new exercises, techniques, or training modalities to challenge your body in different ways. Not only does this prevent stagnation, but it also keeps your gym sessions exciting and engaging, ensuring you look forward to each workout.
Three Essential Habits for Golf Improvement
- Warm Up Before Play:
Before stepping onto the course, it’s crucial to prepare your body with a proper warm-up routine. Dynamic stretches, mobility exercises, and explosive movements can help increase blood flow, loosen muscles, and reduce the risk of injury during your round. By incorporating a pre-game warm-up, you’ll set yourself up for better performance and consistency on the course.
- Consistent Training:
Consistency is key when it comes to improving your golf game. Aim to hit the gym 2-3 times per week to work on strength, endurance, and overall fitness. Consistent training not only enhances your physical capabilities but also builds muscle memory and improves your swing mechanics, leading to more consistent and powerful shots on the course.
- Golf-Specific Mobility Exercises:
Dedicate time to incorporate golf-specific mobility exercises into your weekly routine. These exercises, focusing on areas like hip mobility, thoracic rotation, and shoulder flexibility, are designed to enhance your range of motion and optimize your golf swing mechanics. Aim to perform these exercises at least twice a week for no more than 15 minutes each session to reap the benefits without sacrificing time or energy.
With these motivational tips and essential habits in your arsenal, you’ll be well-equipped to stay committed to your gym sessions and continuously improve your golf game. Visit www.zachgouldgolf.com for more!
