Image source, Huw Evans Picture AgencyImage caption, Jack Hope-Bell (right) celebrated his maiden 100 runs against Sussex with Alex Horton
ByNick WebbBBC Sport Wales- Published13 minutes ago
Glamorgan coach David Harrison says individual players will benefit from their One Day Cup campaign despite winning only two of eight matches and finishing second from bottom in their group.
The club fielded four teenagers, including 17-year-olds Tom Edwards and Harry Wallace, and 19-year-olds Jack Hope-Bell and Romano Franco.
Three others aged 22 or under were among the 16 players used in the tournament.
"There have been so many positives in these past eight games even though we haven't got the wins we would have liked, there's so many things we've done really well," Harrison told BBC Sport Wales.
"For players getting exposure at first-team level at such a young age, like I did, like [director of cricket] Mark Wallace did, it'll accelerate their development."
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Hope-Bell, Edwards and Wallace made first team debuts, as did batter Callum Nicholls, 22, and Australian paceman Connor O'Riordan, whose bid to develop in Wales after missing out in New South Wales echoes the example of county stalwart Timm van der Gugten.
Wicket-keeper Alex Horton, 22, was the top run scorer.
Nicholls and Hope-Bell played major roles in the dramatic closing win over Worcestershire, with Pontarddulais product Edwards marking his potential by taking three wickets after being thrust into the squad because of injuries.
"Of the younger lads, Jack Hope-Bell has been impressive throughout the tournament and showed again [against Worcestershire] he's got a future here," said Harrison.
"Callum Nicholls has had a couple of scores and to get 70 in a chase was really good. There's a lot of experience for some of the younger players and it's shown we've got a bright future ahead."
Glamorgan are far from unique in blooding youngsters in the One Day Cup while some of their star names are away at the Hundred franchise tournament, but the perennial ambition to have a Welsh core to the team looks closer to fulfilment than has been the case since the noughties.
As well as those used, 18-year-old seam bowler Tom Norton - a breakout star of recent Championship games - missed the competition because of a back problem which will probably keep him out for the season, while batter Jacob Blades recently played for England under-19s at the age of 17.
"You've always got to plan for the future and this competition gave us that opportunity to develop a few of our players, playing against Ben Stokes for Durham is a great experience when they've watched him on TV playing for England."
Captain Andy Gorvin, the oldest player at 29 for several matches, was compared to a school-teacher in charge of the youngsters by one opposition commentator.
"My family did tell me about that! I try to help in whatever way I can and when it doesn't go right, it's how to keep the guys going," said Gorvin.
"The most important thing about sport is having the resilience to come back the next day. They've always tried to improve, it's a three-week block with eight games so you improve on the job and I've tried to guide as well as I can, and I've got to improve as well."
Championship ahead
Glamorgan's coaching team, with Richard Dawson returning to head the operation after being linked with the England job, will have their work cut out to put together a seam bowling attack for the closing block of six Championship matches.
In addition to Norton's absence, Ned Leonard misses them all through injury, Jamie McIlroy is also currently out of action, and there is no announcement yet on an overseas bowler to replace Ryan Hadley - with Australians having domestic duties.
"I've had a couple of weeks off and I feel very fresh for me in August, but we're going to have to be knowing what we've got coming up," said opening bowler Timm van der Gugten, who was rested for the away games.
"Hopefully we can have a big push."
Glamorgan are in an unlikely fourth position in their first year back in the top flight for two decades, and could effectively ensure their status with good results against the bottom two, later in August.
"We're in a good position in Division One, there are a couple of really important games at the start at Leicester and against Hampshire, everyone's really looking forward to that," enthused Harrison, who reverts to an assistant's role.
"We've done the basics really well, and if we do the same stuff in the last six that we've done in the first eight, we'll give ourselves a good chance."
Glamorgan's season resumes in the four-day game away to Leicestershire on Thursday, 20 August.
