“ We’ re playing some really good cricket and now it’ s just getting some of those results.”
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MARCUS NORTH
The Glamorgan one-day captain talks to Gareth Ludkin about expectations ahead of this month’ s Friends Life Twenty20 competition.
Since its inauguration 10 years ago, T20 cricket has revolutionised the game of cricket. Do you think the format has had a positive impact on the sport? I think it’ s been amazing, I really do. I was probably a little bit sceptical at the start, I thought it was a bit of a Mickey Mouse competition, but I think we’ ve seen the impact it’ s had around the world; the IPL and India, the T20 competition in England and also the one in Australia we play in. I think it’ s brought a new audience to the game, a lot more women, a lot more kids to the game, so we should really celebrate the 10 years it’ s been going.
How do you assess Glamorgan’ s chances ahead of this year’ s T20 campaign? You’ ve never reached the finals before, but do you expect to do so this year? That’ s certainly something that would be the ideal outcome; every team goes into it wanting to be in that finals day. There’ s no doubt that we’ re going to be pretty confident with the balance of squad we’ ve got, and if we perform to our potential on the field, that finals day is certainly a reachable outcome.
Who do you consider to be the key player in your armoury for the T20 campaign? I think Jim Allenby has been a key player for us in all formats. I think he’ s going to play a big part alongside the likes of Nathan McCullum; he’ s had an impact in every side he’ s played in around the world. I think that we’ ll see a big tournament from all the players, but Nathan and Jim can be the key guys.
What do you consider to be crucial to success in the T20 format? Getting on a bit of a role. It’ s sometimes an overused word, but momentum in T20 cricket is huge, and
BUZZ 18 there are successful teams that I have been a part of that have got on a role and won a few games early; it just builds confidence that way. There’ s that, and a combination of playing to a successful game plan and I’ m confident that Glamorgan has a good game
“ We’ re playing some really good cricket and now it’ s just getting some of those results.”
plan heading into this competition.
Your personal form has been good so far this year, do you tend to set targets throughout the season or just take each game as it comes? I think we all have targets, but the most important thing is contributing. You want to be contributing to winning games. All of us, including myself, want to be winning games, certainly through this T20 competition.
How have you enjoyed playing cricket in the UK and Glamorgan this year? It’ s not been the best of weather so far. I think the summer has been a lot better than last year; it didn’ t stop raining last year. I’ ve been coming back and forth to the UK for over 10 years now so I’ ve got used to all kinds of weather. I think this summer has been ok and hopefully it will really kick on. When the sun does come out in this country it puts a smile on peoples’ faces and when you’ ve got that combined with a game like T20 cricket, it’ s a lot more fun to play in and you’ ll get a lot more people coming down to have a cold beer and enjoy themselves.
How have you enjoyed playing with Glamorgan this year and how do you assess their progress and future prospects as a club? I’ ve really enjoyed it. It was a challenge coming toward the end of my career, so to be involved in a club that’ s very ambitious and very much in a rebuilding stage over the last few years; to be part of that and to move this group forward has been a good challenge. I’ ve felt that this year we’ ve played a hell of a lot better cricket than we have in the past, certainly the last year or so. The only thing missing is getting a few of those end results. We’ ve had some really good draws and a couple of close loses. I don’ t think the table is really reflecting the way we’ re playing. We’ re playing some really good cricket and now it’ s just getting some of those results. If we do that it will reflect how the group and the club has progressed over the last three years.
Watch Marcus North and Glamorgan in this year’ s T20 competition at the SWALEC stadium from Wed 3-Tues 30 July. Tickets: £ 5- £ 12. Info: 029 2040 9380 / www. glamorgancricket. com