Franklin relishing Glamorgan opportunity

James Franklin arrived in Wales insisting he is ready for a county season with Glamorgan, his knee troubles now behind him.

After being told last week that he required surgery on his knee, Glamorgan began a search for another bowler. But this week, a second opinion cleared Franklin to play this season. And he is keen to show his county that he isn't just a bowler who can bat; his hundred in the second Test at Cape Town proves, he says, that he is an allrounder.

"Being an all-rounder has been my job for Wellington and I know I can bat," Franklin told Western Mail. "But I guess getting that hundred in the second Test at Cape Town has opened a few other people's eyes. When I do start for Glamorgan I want to show I can do an equally good job with the bat as well as the ball.

"The chance for a New Zealander to come over and play county cricket has been rare in the past. But now there are a few of us popping up and it's a chance I'm relishing. I've had a little bit of experience in county cricket with Gloucestershire and I'm really happy to be here." Franklin also spoke of his fears last week after finding out about the knee problem. "It's been a bit of a turnaround after finding out 10 days ago I was going to have surgery. But now I'm ready to play the rest of the county championship season.

"The MRI scan in South Africa showed their was a tear in my knee, so New Zealand Cricket flew me home to see two surgeons. I met them both, but they both said conclusively that they didn't want to operate.

"I know the scan shows a tear, but I did play with it throughout the Test series, and I'm confident I will be able to play on it over here. So, in conjunction with New Zealand Cricket and Glamorgan, I find myself in Cardiff and, hopefully, playing soon.

The county will wait to officially register Franklin until he has proved his fitness over the weekend. "Chris Towers (Glamorgan physio) has had a good look at the knee and he is pretty happy with it. I'll put it though its paces over the next few days and I'm confident I'll shape up after that. It will be up to Chris and John Derrick (Glamorgan director of cricket) then to see if they want me to play against Worcestershire on Tuesday."