Tribe’s Lions heroics fuel Glamorgan’s belief on return to Championship elite

Bespectacled young batter shone on England duty in Australia and is primed to make a splash in Division One

The daffodils were in suitable bloom in Cardiff, swathes of them, creeping from under the trees in Bute Park, yolky heads bobbing in the spring sunshine. A few hundred metres up the road, Glamorgan’s players were gathering at Sophia Gardens before their biggest season in years, back in Division One of the County Championship for the first time since 2005.

Their campaign last year was a slow burner but blossomed, a close-knit side playing confidently. Alongside a thousand runs each from Colin Ingram and Kiran Carlson were eye-catching performances from two talented then 21-year-olds, Ben Kellaway and Asa Tribe, who went on to be picked for the Lions tours in the winter. In their shellacking by Australia A in the unofficial Test, Tribe hit an unbeaten 129, which was enough to get him a namecheck from the England managing director, Rob Key, in pre-season media musings – the only non-capped player to be mentioned.

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Sam Konstas axed from Cricket Australia’s contract list for busy 2026-27 season

  • Batter pays for poor form since fearless Boxing Day knock in 2024

  • Brendan Doggett earns spot on 21-man list after Ashes Test debut

Australia’s Ashes-winning players have been rewarded with contracts for a bumper 2026-27 cricket season, but there was no room on the 21-man list for Sam Konstas and Glenn Maxwell.

Paceman Brendan Doggett, who made his full international debut against England in November’s opening Ashes Test in Perth, earned his first national contract, while opener Jake Weatherald, who played all five Tests last summer, retained his upgraded contract despite averaging just 22.33 during the series.

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County season arrives with fresh hope of domestic displays paving path to international stage

Not everyone in the county game is optimistic but players should start the season believing performances will be noticed by the England setup

Peter Moores could be forgiven for raising an eyebrow at England’s backing for Brendon McCullum after four years as head coach and that bleak Australian winter. Moores was afforded barely three across his two spells in the job, neither of which included an Ashes series.

But as his Nottinghamshire side begin the defence of their County Championship title away at Somerset this Friday, Moores is keen to look forwards. During his Ashes mea culpa, the England team director, Rob Key, said he wanted better communication with the counties on selection – music to the ears of the leading domestic coach.

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