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| Place: Sophia Gardens, Cardiff Date: Thursday, June 10th Time: 17: 30 BST |
| Coverage: BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Bristol direct comments from ball to ball via BBC Sport and the Match Report. |
Australian star Marnus Labuschagne is “excited” to play 14 T20 matches on behalf of Glamorgan despite being left out of the international tour.
Labuschagne was closed from an Australian trip to the West Indies due to logistical problems related to travel and quarantine.
He will make his debut at the T20 Blast in Glamorgan against Gloucestershire on Thursday.
Colin Ingram is likely to replace Michael Neser as a foreign player.
But all three have been named to a team of 14 men, and Glamorgan will be able to select two of them during the tournament based on circumstances, shape and fitness conditions.
Labuschagne has played only 16 official T20 matches and wants to increase international recognition for the Test and one day of cricket.
He appeared in the Brisbane Heat film in Australia’s Big Bash and broke 59 Glamorgan friendly against Holland in 2019.
“I’m excited to play more T20 cricket because I haven’t done it enough and I want to do more,” Labuschagne said.
“Hopefully playing 14 games from T20 cricket to Glamorgan is very exciting and it (winning Lancashire in the championship) is a great way to move forward as a team with a little confidence in T20 teams,” he told BBC Sport Wales.
“There are a few adjustments in your game (50 crickets), a little more awareness of your limit options.”
After the pre-match testing, a fault was detected in one of the floodlights column, which means that the match start time has been advanced at 17:30 BST when the match cannot be played under the lights.
A crowd of around 1,000 will be allowed to take part in the first two T20 games at Sophia Gardens against Gloucestershire and Essex, with permission from the Welsh Government to open later than in England.
Against Kent Spitfires, it will rise to 2892 on Wednesday, June 16th.
“It was amazing the crowd performance on the first day against Lancashire (in a pilot project) and it shows how much you miss the fans around the game and how much they mean to us. It’s so enjoyable to play in front of people all over the world. And hear the crowd noise even if it’s you against, it’s motivation, ”Labuschagne said.
Breakthrough star
While test player Labuschagne has yet to prove himself in the T20 series, 22-year-old Cardiff-born puck Prem Sisodiya enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2019 that opened a bowling alley in every game and still proved to be the most economical player.
“I feel good after a couple of second pre – Blast second team games when I played against quite a few first team boys.
“People have seen me a little more since last year, so they know where I’m coming from, but I’ve just enjoyed the challenge and hope to perform as well as last year,” Sisodiya told BBC Sport Wales.
“Opening is natural, like a bowl as a left-handed spinner, which I bow to the gate pretty quickly, knowing what men are (on the field) and are resilient against different strengths.
“We’re pretty confident with Marnus, Coli and Neser in the lineup, even though not all three can play, and last year we achieved pretty well.”
Who is who
Compared to the recent championship team, Ingram could replace Neser as one of the overseas players, while Sisodiya, opening blacksmith Nick Selman, sailor Ruaidhri Smith and versatile Callum Taylor are all in the frame, and Timm van der Gugten is back a week with the Netherlands.
“Welcome back to Colin Ingram, who has made Glamorgan a second home, and it’s great to see, along with Marnus, the three positions that add his foot to the equation,” said coach Matthew Maynard.
“Prem was fantastic for us in the role he did last year, he has had a couple of picks, but he has returned and bowled beautifully in another eleven, as has Ruaidhri Smith, who returned from injury.
“Nick Selman has put himself in a great spot with a couple of notable points (in seconds), Callum Taylor is also there or there.”
Batmen Billy Root and Joe Cooke initially skip, while veteran sailor Michael Hogan is unlikely to come up in short form.
How does it work
Vitality Blast returns to the North / South division this season with nine teams in each group playing 14 matches each, ending July 18th.
The top four of each will go to the semi-finals at the end of August, and the four winners will advance to the final day on September 18th.
Gloucestershire was the semi-finalist in 2020 and won the Central Group despite awarding a double to Glamorgan, which last reached final day 2017.
Glamorgan (from): Selman, Lloyd, Labuschagne, Ingram, C Cooke, Carlson, Douthwaite, Taylor, Neser, Weighell, Salter, Smith, van der Gugten, Sisodiya.
Gloucestershire (from): TBC.
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