How new-look Glamorgan are preparing for pro level

Glamorgan coach Rachel Priest knows she has her work cut out to ensure they will be competitive in their debut season at professional level.

The Welsh county will become the tenth team in the expanded top tier of the new system.

In the past two seasons in the second tier, Glamorgan have won the T20 Blast and were twice finalists in the One Day Cup.

But the step up in standard means a turnover of at least half the squad, with the challenges that brings in gelling a new team in order to be competitive.

"The move up has always been on the radar, we knew it's been coming but we're really excited for this reward for everything the club have put in to get us to this moment," said Priest.

"There are going to be challenges but we're not going to Tier One just to play games but to win and be competitive."

The squad overhaul has already begun with six contracts already confirmed forhomegrown pair Lauren Parfitt and Bethan Gammon, previous loanees Abbey Freeborn and Bethan Ellis as well as new recruits Seren Smale and Georgia Davis.

Other members of the current squad could get professional contracts but up to half a dozen new names - mostly bowlers - are likely to be signed for a squad of 15 who will start work in November in preparation for 2027.

"It's about gelling the team together," said Priest, the experienced New Zealand international who played county cricket for Wales.

"We've got 10 or 12 people moving into Cardiff so at the start it will be getting to know each other, new staff as well as learning a bit about Wales. Then it'll be putting in the hard work ready for next season."

Spinner Nicole Reid has retired after wicketkeeper Georgia Parfitt stepped down earlier in the season, while some of Glamorgan's younger players could continue their development in the academy or at other Tier Two sides.

"It's been an emotional end to the season because there's been the contracts hanging over people and saying goodbye to a few is never easy," said Priest.

"But hopefully there'll be some good memories of the last couple of years."

The arrival of Lancashire's Wrexham-born Smale, twice capped by England, provides a third Welsh player after Parfitt and Gammon.

"It's really pleasing she's decided to come home to Wales, it's a huge signing because at times north Wales hasn't been well represented because of the geography," said Priest

Gammon, who currently works as a pathway coach, has to finish that role before the new contracts kick in in November.

"I'll make sure I run the pathway as best I can before I turn over to pro, but as soon as we get back in after some time off, we've got to hit the ground and create a really good culture and environment for Tier One," she said.

Glamorgan and Yorkshire were both promised Tier One status when an initial eight counties began the new top-flight competition in 2025.

While the Welsh county have been made to wait until 2027, Yorkshire's first season in the fully-professional ranks was brought forward to 2026 and saw them finish seventh of nine in the T20 Blast and eighth in the One-Day Cup.

Glamorgan know the size of the task if they are to compete seriously against teams who have had two summers' start in domestic professional cricket.