As soon as Robert Croft inserted Essex in the first Championship game and watched them rack up 639 for 8 declared, one sensed it was not going to be Glamorganâ..s season. And eventually Croft himself was forced to agree. After two seasons, in which he oversaw 21 defeats in 31 Championship matches, he quit a fortnight before the end. Croft had little choice but to fall on his bat handle. Despite a good season personally â.. 66 Championship wickets â.. he had come as far as he could with a young, inexperienced side. He was not helped by a back injury to Nicky Peng, the clubâ..s only closeseason signing, which meant he missed half the summer, or the loss of both first-choice overseas players before the start of the season. Croftâ..s successor David Hemp managed a last-gasp draw to ensure Glamorgan would not finish bottom of the Championship. But he could not prevent slipping ineptly out of top flight of the one-day league. The situation looks likely to get more dismal, with no overseas players next season. The costcutting measure comes as the club faces up to severe financial problems; since 1998 £1.3m in interest has been paid on a loan taken out to purchase Sophia Gardens. Overall verdict: dreadful.

Richard Thomas The Wisden Cricketer