Wadlan to bring curtain down on NCCA playing career
Wadlan to bring curtain down on NCCA playing career
Wales travel to Cheshire this weekend for their final game of the Championship season, a game which will see Player/Head Coach Brad Wadlan make his final appearance in national counties cricket.
Wadlan’s NCCA career spans almost 20 years having made his debut back in 2007 as a 17-year-old against Wiltshire at Trowbridge – a side that contained current Glamorgan CEO Dan Cherry, as well as former Glamorgan professionals Will Owen, Richard Grant and the late Tom Maynard. The young pairing of James Vince and Liam Dawson happened to feature in the Wiltshire ranks to provide further context.
During his NCCA career Wadlan has represented Herefordshire, Cornwall, and Wales accumulating making more than 140 appearances across all formats. He currently sits seventh on the competition’s all-time leading run-scorers list, with 35 fifties, 14 centuries, with a highest score of 191 for Cornwall against Oxfordshire. Alongside this, he has taken 248 wickets at an average of 21.8, including 14 five-wicket hauls, making a strong case for one of the standout NCCA cricketers of the past decade and arguably the most decorated Welsh player in NCCA history.
More recently Wadlan (37) has overseen the coaching side of Wales National County, playing a crucial role in the development of many players that are currently enjoying the early stages of their professional careers for Glamorgan. He has recently completed his ECB Level IV coaching qualification and feels now is the right time to remove the ‘player’ element to his role.
He said: “It has been an absolute honour and privilege to play National Counties cricket, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have had. Representing my country and playing for Wales has meant a great deal to me and something I’m very proud to have done on so many occasions. I believe now is the right time to finish playing and focus fully on coaching. Coaching is where my passion lies and with so many talented young cricketers coming through the Glamorgan and Wales pathways, I will do everything I can to help nurture and develop them as they progress on their own journeys.”
Head of Talent Pathway Matt Dando-Thompson was keen to underline Wadlan’s impact across NCCA cricket in saying: “Brad’s contribution on the field throughout his NCCA career has been immense. You don’t end up with a record like his if you haven’t got the hunger, the drive and the skill to go alongside it. He has been the key player in all of the teams he has represented and will have always been the dangerman when any opposition looks at a team sheet – to do that across the best part of two decades speaks volumes for his longevity and ability. Whilst he will have hoped to have had a professional career, his can justifiably be proud of the impact he has had on Welsh, and wider NCCA cricket. We are delighted he will remain at the helm to pass on his experience to the next generation of players.”
It’s been a difficult red ball season for Wales NC having been blighted with injury and availability issues and consequently sit bottom of Division 2 in the Western Conference. Sunday’s visit to Alderley Edge will have a useful opportunity for one or two players to get up to speed with the pace of NCCA cricket, with Cardiff’s all-rounder Zach Healey making a debut. He lines up alongside Iwan Jones and Ben Jones who make second and third appearances respectively whilst there is a recall for North Walian seamer Jason Foulkes and off spinner Aaron Davies.
Northop’s Elliot Coleclough and Gwersyllt Park’s Jack Billington make the squad for the first time.
Wales NC from: Tegid Phillips (Cardiff), Matt Ryan (St Asaph), Sami Khan (Port Talbot), Brad Wadlan (Bridgend), Rhodri Lewis (St Fagans), Cam Herring* (Pontarddulais), Iwan Jones+ (Usk), Aaron Davies (Bridgend), Zach Healey (Cardiff), Jason Foulkes (Nantwich), Ben Jones (Usk), Elliot Coleclough (Northop), Jack Billington (Gwersyllt Park).
