Glamorgan name Rudolph as captain

Jacques Rudolph has been named Glamorgan captain for 2015, replacing Mark Wallace who has been club captain for the last three seasons and Jim Allenby, who led the T20 side last season but has since signed for Somerset.

Rudolph, 33, joined Glamorgan on a two-year deal in 2014 and although he averaged a disappointing 31.74 in the Championship he made 575 runs at 82.14 in the Royal London Cup and 543 at 60.33 in the NatWest T20 Blast.

"I'm very honoured and privileged to accept the invitation to lead Glamorgan," Rudolph said. "I thoroughly enjoyed my first season with in Wales, but next year is a new challenge and following a number of changes I'm really looking forward to some exciting times ahead.

"There were some encouraging signs last summer, especially as we came within one run of reaching Twenty20 Finals Day, but I've always set myself very high standards and I want to rectify a few things from 2014, especially in four-day cricket, as I feel we are a better team than what our final league position suggests."

Hugh Morris, the Glamorgan chief executive, said: "A leader on and off the field as well as being a genuinely likeable person, Jacques brings a wealth of experience to the role having been appointed captain of the Titans in 2010-11, as well as leading the South Africa A team and deputising in county cricket for Andrew Gale during his time with Yorkshire. He leads from the front and has shown throughout his career, and in his first season at Glamorgan, that he is a true professional and role model for younger players."

"Mark Wallace has done a fine job as club captain during the course of the past three years, demonstrating tremendous dedication and commitment to the role and he will continue to be a valued and experienced voice in the dressing room and on the field within a leadership capacity."

Glamorgan's rebuilding for next season has included signing South Africa batsman Colin Ingram as a Kolpak player, while they have also brought in James Kettleborough from Northamptonshire and Craig Meschede on a season-long loan from Somerset.