Cosgrove ready for Glamorgan reunion

The opening LV=CC game of the season always holds a level of significance for everybody but it is even greater for new Leicestershire CCC Club Captain Mark Cosgrove.

Leicestershire take on Cosgrove’s only former county Glamorgan on Sunday (11am) in a match which is free to everybody as the Club is holding a family Open Day to kick-start the campaign.

Cosgrove must have raised a smile when he saw the fixture list - but taking on a former club is something that isn’t new to him.

In fact Cosgrove has been on both ends of the experience. Having left his native South Australia to join Tasmania in 2010, he took on the Adelaide-based side in the Sheffield Shield. Then, having returned to his first state, he faced his old teammates at Tasmania in the last Australian season.

There have been a few changes in the Welsh capital since Cosgrove played there but he will come across long-serving duo Mark Wallace and Dean Cosker and is looking forward to the experience.

He said: “There are not too many players there anymore that I played with but there are a few. It’s just one of those things that happen in cricket.

“I had it a couple of years ago against South Australia for Tasmania and then I was on the flipside this year. I’m sure it will be a fun game and hopefully one where we can come out on top.”

Cosgrove has settled in quickly at Grace Road and that was made easier by linking up with Head Coach Andrew McDonald, who he played with at South Australia and Sydney Thunder over the winter.

He said: “Ronnie (Andrew McDonald) has been a fantastic player in Australia and overseas and coming here to work under him makes the transition a lot easier and more fun.

“The captaincy is a challenge I’m looking forward to. I’m really excited and we can’t get wait to get the season started. The perks of cricket mean you can travel the world and be part of different changing rooms. The players have worked hard and are enjoying themselves, which is a good sign.

“We have a fantastic young bunch of players here and I’ll help out at every available opportunity I have. I can pass on a few words and ideas and they can take it on board and pass on to the next generation.”

Cosgrove is part of a 13-man Leicestershire squad for the game, with the XI who played against Cambridge MCCU joined by Matthew Boyce and Charlie Shreck.

Glamorgan could hand debuts to South Africa batsman Colin Ingram, James Kettleborough and on-loan duo Craig Meschede and Andy Carter as the quartet are all in a 12-man squad.

Leics (from): Cosgrove (c), Eckersley (vc), Redfern, Robson, Pinner, Boyce, Wells, O’Brien (w/k), Raine, Naik, Freckingham, Shreck, Sheikh.

Glam (from): Kettleborough, Rudolph, Bragg, Ingram, Cooke, Wallace, Lloyd, Wagg, Meschede, Cosker, Carter, Owen.