Cricket: Harris forced to sit out Glamorgan opener

Apr 22 2008 by Gareth Griffiths, South Wales Echo

GLAMORGAN will be without teenage seamer James Harris for their championship opener with Middlesex at Lord’s.

Harris, pictured, had a scan on his left ankle and has been advised to rest for at least a week.

“James has a little injury problem with a pain in his ankle,” said Glamorgan cricket manager Matthew Maynard ahead of tomorrow’s Division Two opener.

“He has had an injection so things aren’t too bad.

“Hopefully he will be in contention for the Gloucestershire match, if he gets an opportunity.”

But the Dragons will have experienced Australian overseas seamer Jason Gillespie available to make his debut after he arrived in Cardiff last week.

Gillespie’s inclusion, at the expense of Huw Waters, is set to be the only change from the 12-man squad who drew with Oxford UCCE in a three-day friendly at The Parks last week.

Glamorgan will have former Middlesex and England off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple in their ranks, along with fellow new signings Gillespie and ex-Yorkshire batsman Matthew Wood.

Maynard is hoping the arrival of this new trio will help his side overcome their Lord’s hoodoo, a ground which has not seen a Glamorgan first-class victory since 1954.

“We have a number of new players and the ground holds no ghosts for them,” said Maynard, who also signed South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs last weekend for June’s Twenty20 campaign.

Meanwhile, Robert Croft has been omitted from the 12-man squad to face Gloucestershire at Bristol in the Friends Provident Trophy on Sunday.

Glamorgan (from): G Rees, M Wood, D Hemp (c), M Powell, J Dalrymple, M Wallace (wk), A Wharf, R Croft, J Gillespie, D Harrison, R Watkins, D Cosker