Raising Their Game: Glamorgan Cricketers Jet Off for Off-Season Development
Several Glamorgan cricketers will be heading overseas this winter to sharpen their skills and gain valuable experience.
Training Down Under
First out of the gate was Alex Horton, who touched down in New Zealand on October 1st, with Will Smale joining him later in the new year. Kiran Carlson has set up camp in Brisbane, playing for Sunshine Coast Cricket Club alongside former Glamorgan teammate Nick Selman. In the same city, Tom Bevan will be turning out for Redlands CC, Marnus Labuschagne’s club. “So Kiran and Tom will play against each other at some point,” said Glamorgan’s Director of Cricket Mark Wallace. “Inevitably we’ll have some guys looking to go overseas.”
International Exposure
Timm van der Gugten recently returned from Oman, where he represented the Netherlands in a combined ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 (ODIs) and bilateral IT20 series against Oman.
Investing in Player Development
“We encourage players to go abroad as it’s a long winter if you’re just in the indoor school,” said Wallace. “Any opportunity to play overseas, develop their skills and improve as a cricketer is wholly supported by the Club. We also encourage any extra-curricular activities which happen off the field. For instance, James Harris is studying for a chiropractor’s degree, and we have a few boys in university as well – Ben Kellaway, Asa Tribe, and Henry Hurle.”
Embracing Different Conditions
“It is very important to have a taste of other cricketing conditions outside the UK because there’s only so much you can do in the indoor centre throughout the winter. Going to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or Zimbabwe tests you outside home conditions. Some of them will look to maybe go on smaller camps to India or Sri Lanka at different stages to improve certain elements to their game,” Wallace explained.
“The management believes that the opportunity to be playing and carrying on with their game development in the off-season, especially technical skills which may have challenged some of the players in the season, gives them that benefit to return back to these shores as an improved cricketer.”
New Opportunities on the Global Stage
Dan Douthwaite is joining the Kathmandu Gurkhas for their inaugural season in the Nepal Premier League, while Eddie Byrom, who has been sidelined since August due to injury, will head to Perth in Western Australia to play grade cricket once he’s fully recovered. Byrom is expected to arrive in Perth and begin training in the New Year.
Keeping Tabs on Players Abroad
Head Coach Grant Bradburn is keeping a watchful eye on the team from afar. He’s gone back to his native New Zealand for the festive period, but he’ll be back in Cardiff in the new year, a couple of months before pre-season commences.
What are the key benefits for Glamorgan players participating in overseas cricket stints?
Raising Their Game: Glamorgan Cricketers Jet Off for Off-Season Development
We’re joined today by Glamorgan’s Director of Cricket, Mark Wallace, to discuss the exciting opportunities awaiting several Glamorgan cricketers this off-season.
Mark, thanks for joining us. Glamorgan fans will be pleased to hear that several promising players are heading overseas this winter. Can you tell us a little bit about who’s going where and what they hope to achieve?
**Mark Wallace:** Certainly! We encourage our players to seek out these overseas experiences whenever possible. It’s a great way to stay match-fit during our off-season here in Wales, and compete against a different caliber of player. This year, we have Alex Horton honing his skills in New Zealand, while Kiran Carlson and Tom Bevan will be testing themselves in Brisbane, Australia. They’ll even be playing against each other at some point, which should make for an interesting head-to-head. Will Smale will also be joining Alex in New Zealand later on. [[1](https://www.glamorgancricket.com/news/director-of-cricket-mark-wallace-gives-update-on-players-heading-overseas)]
And it’s not just about domestic competitions. Timm van der Gugten recently returned from representing the Netherlands in an international series against Oman. These experiences are invaluable for our players’ development.
That’s fantastic to hear. What are the key benefits of these overseas stints for the players?
**Mark Wallace:** It’s a combination of factors. Firstly, playing in different conditions against unfamiliar opponents pushes them outside their comfort zone and forces them to adapt. Secondly, the exposure to new coaching styles and training methods can be really beneficial. And of course, there’s the intangible benefit of experiencing a new culture and broadening horizons. We see this as a vital investment in our players’ development.
Thanks for sharing your insights, Mark. We wish all our Glamorgan cricketers the best of luck in their off-season endeavors.
