Valleys of spin

It may not be widely known that the greatest of all bowlers played cricket for Wales. Indeed, it is a racing certainty that the young men who are representing the principality in an international match today are unaware in precisely whose footsteps they are treading.

Sydney Barnes plied his earnest, unyielding trade in the valleys for three seasons, which was just time enough for him to become their record wicket- taker. Mind you, if he was to show up today wanting a game,the man whom Wisden called the bowler of the century would not have been considered for selection for two reasons: he was aged 54 when he first played for Wales, and he was not Welsh.

Youth and nationality are crucial to a team which was reformed 25 years ago after having played regularly for a few seasons in the 1920s when Barnes went over from Staffordshire. Those qualities will be in stark evidence today when Wales play South Africa A at Swansea. Ten of the team are Welsh, nine are under 25 and the average age is 22. "I would say we've got a great chance," said Bill Edwards, chairman, secretary and proudest supporter. "If we can't play cricket we can always sing, and if we can't sing we can always give them a very good time."

Wales resumed playing as a national side - strictly amateur - to try to give cricket in their country a greater identity. It seems to have worked. Young players want to play for them. "They don't all want to play the game professionally, you know," Edwards said. "I suppose the big turning point came for us when we joined the Minor Counties back in 1988. It might seem strange a country being a minor county, but there you are.

"We'd never join the ICC as an associate member because that would probably jeopardise Glamorgan's status as a first-class county. We have ambitions to win the Western Division of the Minor Counties Championship and our aim is always to qualify for the NatWest Trophy, which we've done twice. We've had a modest start, and South Africa will provide good practice for the heavy programme that follows."

Wales will be led today by the former Glamorgan off-spinner Barry Lloyd, but many of the rest are teachers, like Andrew Jones, son of Glamorgan's all-time leading scorer, Alan Jones, or students. Of those at present on Glamorgan's books, Hugh Morris, Alistair Dalton and Adrian Shaw all had their first taste of national cricket with Wales.

Today's contest, against a side containing many Test players - including the teenage leg- spinner Paul Adams - is a big game but perhaps not Wales's greatest. Six years ago at Brecon they played the West Indies, who scored 362 for six (Lara 82, Richards 68). Wales replied with 158 for nine. They could have done with Sydney Barnes.