Croft confident of improved display from Glamorgan

GLAMORGAN head coach Robert Croft has no intention of shirking his responsibilities after the Welsh county’s horror start to the season.

Croft was dismayed as Glamorgan collapsed to an innings defeat at Northamptonshire in their County Championship Division Two opener.

His side were skittled all out for 101 before tea on the first day of the campaign, and the former England spinner is looking for a reaction as Worcestershire visit Cardiff on Good Friday.

Despite sweating on the fitness of paceman Timm van der Gugten, as well as Welsh batsman Will Bragg, Croft is confident his troops will produce a response to the defeat.

“It wasn’t the performance we’d hoped for. It was disappointing in a number of areas, I won’t lie,” he said.

“But the will is there and the effort will be put in.”

Asked what went wrong at Wantage Road, Croft admitted he had highlighted a number of areas. No Glamorgan batsman passed 50 in either innings against Northamptonshire, with only Aneurin Donald (34) and Colin Ingram (47) providing any resistance.

“I’m trying to balance it out, but I am very disappointed,” Croft said after the defeat.

“The preparation you put into the game, you don’t envisage the result at the end of it.

“What I and the players will be looking to put right is to rebuild the confidence, and ensure there’s full commitment to a better performance.

“We’ll be doing all we can to ensure a much-improved performance.” Glamorgan (from): Rudolph (capt.), Selman, Bragg, Lloyd, Ingram, Donald, Cooke (wkt.), Carlson, Meschede, Morgan, Salter, Podmore, de Lange, Carey, van der Gugten, Hogan.