Glamorgan Championship Winning Side 1997:
The team that defied the odds
After a trophyless number of years and a disappointing campaign during the 1996 season, the only Welsh county cricket club defied all logic in 1997.
Glamorgan for a number of years battled the threat of relegation to division two with many bookies tipping them to finally go down before the end of the decade.
Despite their woes in previous seasons, Glamorgan still had a number of talented and experienced players at their disposal. Veterans such as Hugh Morris, Matthew Maynard and Steve James proved to be instrumental figureheads throughout the entirety of the 1997 season.
A nail-biting few months saw Glamorgan finish on an impressive 256 points and four points clear of second placed Kent who had also had a solid campaign. Over a span of 17 matches Glam only lost two games, picking up eight wins and seven draws.
Iconic victories against local rivals Somerset and Gloucestershire sealed the deal in the latter stages of the season; helping Glamorgan to write their names into the cricket history-books forever.
Standout Stars
Matthew Maynard
Club captain Matthew Maynard had already played a crucial role for the club during the 1990s. The batsman almost singlehandedly revolutionised the club's attack and made Glamorgan a force to be reckoned with.
Maynard started his professional cricketing career with Glamorgan in 1985 where he made an instant impact. The then 21-year-old started his career in fine fashion, scoring a century on his debut which was a sign of the great things to come.
After becoming the youngest ever player to score 1000 at county cricket level, Maynard took up the mantle of club captain for five seasons. His captaincy also coincided with his international debut for England.
Maynard was instrumental during Glamorgan's iconic 1997 championship winning campaign. Utilising his trademark aggressive style of batting to lead the Welsh county to an unexpected title.
"Leading Glamorgan to that title is undoubtedly the proudest moment of my career."
Steve James
Steve James was an unorthodox batsman whose unpredictability caused him to be a threat at the crease. His fast-paced and methodical style of play was influential during the 1997 campaign.
Another player that spent the entirety of his professional career at Sophia Gardens, James made his debut for Glamorgan in 1985. The Gloucestershire-born batsman quickly gained the reputation for being one of the most prolific players in the division.
After hitting a total of 1,776 runs in 1996, James would continue his formidable form and score 1,775 runs during the championship season. his unstoppable form during both of these campaigns gained him an international call-up to the England squad where he was capped twice.
James would later captain Glamorgan from 2000 to his retirement in 2003. The now 55-year-old finished his career with a total of 47 centuries, 15,890 career runs and 245 first-class appearances for Glamorgan; undoubtedly making him one of their greatest ever players.
James pictured here playing for England
Waqar Younis
The iconic fast-bowler only spent two seasons with Glamorgan but still made a massive impact during his short tenure.
After an illustrious career at the top level for a number of years, Younis had a brief stint with the Welsh side. Despite his time being short, the impact Younis had on the club can still be felt today.
The Pakistan international was a formidable bowler who racked up an impressive 956 first-class wickets over the span of his career. After taking an astonishing 113 wickets for Surrey, Younis would replicate these performances with Glamorgan. His most iconic moment whilst playing for the county is undoubtedly when he took 7 wickets in one match against Lancashire as Glamorgan edged ever closer to claiming the championship title.
Younis pictured celebrating his first wicket for Pakistan
Robert Croft
Robert Croft is potentially one of Glamorgan's greatest ever homegrown talents. A versatile player, Croft showcased his talents both as a bowler and a batsman
After being a regular and consistent performer for Glamorgan for seven years, Croft was rewarded with a call-up to the England international set-up in 1996.
The experience of international cricket obviously boded well for Croft, helping to lead Glamorgan to the County Championship just a season after his England debut.
Croft played a crucial role during the campaign, creating a formidable partnership with Waqar Younis that struck fear into every batsman they faced.
Croft also became the first Welsh cricketer to score 10,000 runs and take 1000 wickets at County Championship level.
The deciding moment
The match against Somerset will be remembered for generations as a key moment in the history of English domestic cricket.
youtube.com/watch?v=CYpFWJoF6bY
Matthew Maynard and his men put in a valiant performance on the final day of the County Championship campaign. Stand-out performances from Hugh Morris and Waqar Younis clinched the title after a hard-fought four which left fans on the edge of their seats.
1997 is a campaign that Glamorgan have never been able to replicate, now sitting in the second division of County Cricket after struggling for a number of seasons and eventually falling to fate of relegation.
Despite their shortcomings in recent years, the 90s as a decade is looked upon fondly by fans of the club. Glamorgan have never had such a number of high-profile stars in one teams ever since.
Cardiff as a city is very proud when it comes to their local sports teams and the achievements that they make. 1997 has since become iconic throughout the city with even non-cricketing people in the city feeling the pride that 1997 brought.
1997 will always be a season to remember. The only Welsh county cricket side defied all the odds and achieved something that no-one expected them to achieve.
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