How Glamorgan went from also-rans to promotion

After clinching promotion with a game to spare, Glamorgan will experience the thrills of top-tier Championship cricket for the first time in 21 years.

Glamorgan are still rising, even if the county’s structure is changed to the improbable two groups of six in the first layer.

How has coach Richard Dawson overseen success after being shuffled in January, with little personnel change in the squad since the 2024 season, which saw them finish sixth out of eight teams in Division Two?

Although it’s easier said than done, more notable bat-handling performances have been recorded during this season’s first innings.

Glamorgan have proven adept at breaking free in the past, but this year they have completely avoided breaking free. That is, after the first three games, when they were forced to play second and third, leaving the impression of a long season ahead.

Glamorgan supporters might have endured a few long days with the ball, but thankfully there haven’t been any short days this year.

At the end of 2024, Asa Tribe made a promising first-team debut, but he left in April.

The bespectacled Cardiff Met student’s response to the incident prevented Glamorgan from letting him leave the first team because he had so many second-team runs scored. After that, they ensured that he would be a regular fixture in all formats, culminating in a spectacular 206 performance at Northampton.

Ben Kellaway, a 21-year-old student, adds crucial balance to the side, making him a strong bat force capable of surpassing his current six and providing a first-line spin option.

Although the Chepstow product’s novelty of occasionally ambidextrous bowling may have attracted more attention, his bat and ball numbers are solid.

Before briefly allowing himself to take his Cardiff University final exams, he top-scored in Glamorgan’s first two victories against Kent and Northamptonshire.

Australian spinner Matt Kuhnemann, who dropped in for one match while Kellaway was glued to his studies, was the strangest signing of the summer.

It appeared to be Marnus Labuschagne being asked to bring a friend along for a Sunday friendly in the workplace.

However, Kuhnemann quickly won the second innings by taking six wickets for Glamorgan before vanishing to bring drinks for Australia. It succeeded.

Mason Crane, who was sidelined for a while before getting injured, put together a career-best six-wicket haul to decide the game at Old Trafford, while Kellaway took a respectable 25 wickets.

Despite his best efforts, please don’t mention the early-loan experiment with England spinner Shoaib Bashir.

We knew the promotion was probably going to be ongoing, but to receive official confirmation was a wonderful feeling, Crane said on Radio Wales Breakfast.

It’s been a long time since Division One hasn’t existed, the club says.

We have a chance to celebrate with our fans and explain why we’ve won another home game against Lancashire starting on Wednesday, September 24.

“So we’ve gotten promoted, but we still have one game to play,” the team’s manager predicted. A strong performance will follow, and it will be a really special week.

The seam attack has mostly worked together well, with Sri Lankan Asitha Fernando providing the extra pace that might also help the others’ efforts, despite the concerns that Glamorgan supporters have had about their team’s bowling prowess for a number of years.

Ned Leonard has contributed financially and Zain ul Hassan has provided economic support, while Andy Gorvin has been viewed as a home specialist and has proven effective with his medium pace.