Maynard awarded with testimonial season

Matthew Maynard, the former England batsman, has been awarded a testimonial season for Glamorgan next summer. Maynard, 38, became the county's leading century maker by scoring his 53rd hundred against Leicestershire at Cardiff yesterday.

Maynard made his debut for Glamorgan back in 1985, and captained the club from 1996 to 2000, leading them to the Championship title in 1997. He played four Tests for England between 1988 and 1994, two each against Australia and West Indies. He was also picked for 14 one-dayers, his last match being in the 2000 NatWest Series.

"I'm honoured to be awarded a testimonial year and extremely grateful to the club for granting it to me," Maynard said. "It's been a great privilege to serve Glamorgan for the past 20 years, one of its most successful eras, and there is still, in my view, no better county on the circuit to play for."

He added, "I have been fortunate to play alongside some great players, none better than the current squad, and also to have represented a club which has some fantastic supporters. Hopefully I can play my part over the next year or two in trying to deliver some more success for them."

Maynard's record-breaking century took him past Alan Jones and Hugh Morris in Glamorgan's hall of fame, and he celebrated with a drop of whisky during the match. "Darren Thomas spilt it the first time around, so it was kind of lost in the moment," said Maynard. "It was a little tipple of whisky - but I didn't play the next over so well as it was still burning in my throat."