County
Trescothick feels his burdens lift
Jeremy Blackmore
28-Apr-2015
"Another season. They roll into one these days," Marcus Trescothick sits himself down on a comfortable window seat in the Long Room at the County Ground in Taunton and stretches his arms out as he prepares to answer questions.
This is the veteran - and we'll come back to that word - batsman's 23rd season of first-class cricket and his sixth at the helm of the county championship side.
Many of his contemporaries have long since abandoned the demands of the gruelling county season for the comfort of the television studio. Yet in his fortieth year, Trescothick insists age is not a factor and clearly has high expectations of himself over the next five and a half months.
Full postWelsh county's England drought set to continue
It is 10 years and counting since Glamorgan last provided a home international and the only Welsh involvement in this seasons Ashes will be in the crowd
Peter Miller
20-Apr-2015
There is a display in the members bar at the Swalec Stadium that has a photo of every Glamorgan player to represent England. It starts with Maurice Turnball who played the first of his nine Tests in 1930 and ends with Alex Wharf who made his ODI debut in 2004. There is then a silhouetted headshot with a question mark asking who will be next. It is a question that we are not any closer to asking than we were when Wharf's career came to an end back in February 2005.
There are 17 names on the list, of those, 11 have England appearances in single figures. Only Robert Croft put together an international career of any sort of longevity, his 50 ODIs and 21 Tests are both records for a Glamorgan player.
As the world's press gathered in Cardiff to watch Kevin Pietersen stake a claim for England selection there was not one player in the Glamorgan side that is within touching distance of the national team, unless you think Colin Ingram might get another game for South Africa. This year is not only the 10th anniversary of the 2005 Ashes, it also represents a decade since Glamorgan had a man in an England shirt. When Simon Jones hobbled off during the Trent Bridge Test that was the last time there was a representative from the Welsh county playing for England in any format.
Full postPicking a Derbyshire XI no longer an easy business
For the first time in many years Derbyshire have a squad with enough depth to encourage optimism
Steve Dolman
12-Apr-2015
For the first time in many years, it is almost impossible to pick a first-choice side at Derbyshire this summer.
Time was, and not that long ago, the interested supporter could probably name nine of a first choice eleven and get pretty close to the full side. Not so now, as Graeme Welch has assembled and cultivated a squad - a genuine squad - that has depth in most positions, especially in seam bowling. To the club's great credit, many are academy products.
A few people were aghast last summer when Tim Groenewald was allowed to leave the county. Those same people will be a little sheepish now, as the popular seamer's departure enabled Welch to accelerate the development of young bowlers who impressed him as soon as he arrived at Derby last year.
Full postWhy Leicestershire can rediscover winning habit
Leicestershire are the team that has forgotten how to win, but their memory might be on the mend in 2015
Richard Padgett
12-Apr-2015
Leicestershire, the team that forgot how to win, can push for promotion this season
Sounds crazy, doesn't it?
Promotion is for counties that have strong squads, big grounds and the money to compete.
Full post