Match Preview | County Championship | Glamorgan | 4-7 April 2025

The wait is finally over! County cricket’s much-anticipated return begins on Friday as Leicestershire kick off their 2025 campaign away at Glamorgan.

With a solid pre-season behind them, Alfonso Thomas’ side are readying themselves for another promotion push to Division One, having been in the hunt until the dying embers in the previous two campaigns.

The Foxes have been buoyed by the arrival of new Club Captain Peter Handscomb in time for the trip to South Wales, as the Australian run-machine embarks on his third full campaign at Uptonsteel County Ground.

Squad:

Handscomb is straight in to skipper a 13-player squad for the visit to Sophia Gardens. The other dozen members of the travelling party all featured in last week’s win over Nottinghamshire.

Josh Hull, Matt Salisbury, and Sam Wood are nearing returns but remain unavailable through injury.

Leicestershire: Ahmed, Budinger, Cox+, B Green, Handscomb*, Hill, Holland, Kimber, Mike, Patel, Scriven, Trevaskis, Wright.

Last Time We Met:

Leicestershire’s penultimate away trip of the 2024 campaign ended in a draw thanks to the final day heroics of overseas duo Ajinkya Rahane and Handscomb, who both hit centuries.

The pair showed their international calibre by top scoring for the Foxes in both innings “ while the debuting Sam Wood also chipped in with a useful 34 batting at number ten first time round.

Despite Ian Holland (4/96) and Rehan Ahmed’s (3/143) efforts, Glamorgan veteran Colin Ingram then made a mammoth 257 not out to put the hosts in the driving seat, assuming a 299-run lead.

But Rahane‘s (103) maiden Leicestershire century and a battling 139 not out from Handscomb ensured the Foxes secured a day-four draw, ending on 369/6 when hands were shaken.

Fox to Watch:

It’s difficult to look beyond Handscomb for Leicestershire’s prime source of inspiration. Appointed Club captain over the winter, the Australian international will be looking to lead from the front following his outstanding 2024.

The 33-year-old passed fifty more than any other player in first-class cricket “ worldwide “ last year, registering five centuries and 11 half-centuries from 33 innings.

Those numbers included a sensational season for the Foxes, with Handscomb notching 894 Championship runs at an average of 74.5 from just 14 innings, reaching three figures against former county Middlesex, as well as in both matches against this week’s opponents.

Opposition Player to Watch:

In what could prove a decisive duel between overseas stars, it’s reasonable to highlight the addition of Asitha Fernando to the Glamorgan ranks.

The seamer is set to become the first Sri Lankan player in Glamorgan’s history and arrives with strong pedigree having taken 256 wickets at 24.1 in the first-class arena, including 72 in Test cricket.

Follow The Action:

Stay tuned to our Match Centre, as well as our social media channels, to stay up-to-date with play-by-play coverage and post-day reaction across all four days.