Glamorgan 2026 One Day Cup Preview
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written by Blake Bint (Taff & Daff)
2025 Review:
League Position: 9th in Group A
Top Runscorer: Asa Tribe - 401 runs
Top Bowler: Zain ul-Hassan & Ned Leonard - 6 wickets
Top Points Scorer: Kiran Carlson - 843 points
Quite simply, the 2025 One Day Cup was a competition to forget for Glamorgan. Frustratingly, Mason Crane and Ben Kellaway both had minimal contributions in The Hundred but were at no point released for Glamorgan eligibility leaving gaps in experience. The campaign brought just one win and a comfortably last placed finish in Group A.
There were moments of brilliance however; it was during this tournament that talk around Asa Tribe perked up for his two centuries (which was a part of a run of four in five matches altogether), scintillating hundreds for Kiran Carlson in the style which has been accustomed to his white-ball game of recent years, and Will Smale also had a first professional hundred. Tom Norton also made his debut at 17, removing Shan Masood for a first wicket, and Romano Franco did enough to earn a professional contract while still a teenager too.
Glamorgan 2026 One Day Cup Preview - Banker, Wildcard & Young Gun
If last year was anything to go by, perhaps too much shouldn’t be expected from Glamorgan this time around. Carlson’s performances have earned him a place in The Hundred so the Welsh county are currently without a captain or coach confirmed. Sean Dickson also has a Hundred deal, Tribe has since become a franchise player in the SA20 so he misses and Crane and Kellaway retained their places meaning five holes will need to be filled.
Dan Douthwaite offers plenty of experience and white-ball prowess but took just two wickets at 161 last year, and with James Harris now retired attention turns to Andy Gorvin, Billy Root, Eddie Byrom and presumably Will Smale as natural captaincy candidates as the most experienced players in the squad – even some of those options are experienced in years not in wealth of success. There is now the added excitement of Norton who has since made headlines in first-class cricket as well as other youngsters who have made appearances in other formats.
Banker – Andy Gorvin
You’re going to have to look past his numbers from 2025 to be trusted with the opinion that Gorvin is Glamorgan’s banker. Last year Colin Ingram, Chris Cooke and Timm van der Gugten all took well-needed rests during this tournament. There’s no clarification on their position this year but I doubt there will be too much concern with their absence. That leaves Gorvin as arguably the most experienced in the side. His role in the squad has become much more pronounced in recent years, contributing across all formats. His medium pace, box of tricks approach makes him the typical modern asset with ball in hand. Last year he was frequently used to open the bowling with fellow medo Zain ul Hassan – it is clear however he’d be better used in the middle overs and you can always trust him for a wicket or a tight spell.
Wildcard – Callum Nicholls
In 2025, the newly made rookie was the only squad member not to make a single First XI appearance. While still only 21 (turning 22 during the competition), Nicholls is now much more likely to make his debut. Not only is he home-grown and the only Welsh speaker on the men’s squad list, he has churned out runs in the South Wales Premier League for the last two seasons and now has Second XI centuries as his backing. With gaps left from Carlson and Dickson, it gives Nicholls the chance to prove what he was given a deal for.
Young Gun – Romano Franco
Given a deal by necessity before last year’s One Day Cup due to the franchise call-ups for both Crane and Kellaway, all of a sudden Glamorgan were in need of a frontline spinner. Franco may have taken just five wickets in six games but the now 19-year-old proved his worth. The slow-left-armer has since been given a full-time rookie deal and has been successful in Second XI performances taking both the new ball and old – with Crane and Kellaway away once more Franco will have to lead the way in the spin department. While Glamorgan’s team this year is looking likely to be full of youngsters, Franco has the highest chance of standing out.
If the Welsh side fare as they did last year, a rogue debut could be given to an uncontracted academy prospect – as they did with Norton – which could leave the door ajar for a fifth wicket-keeper in the squad, Harry Wallace, the England Under-19 international son of Director of Cricket and club legend Mark Wallace.
Potential Starting XI:
Eddie Byrom
Zain ul-Hassan
Henry Hurle
Alex Horton
Will Smale
Billy Root
Dan Douthwaite
Tom Norton
Andy Gorvin
Ned Leonard
Romano Franco
Comments