Former England cricket star Robert Croft has backed local ace Adam Shantry, his Glamorgan team-mate, to bounce back from his nightmare season on the injury list – insisting: “He makes our side better.”
Glamorgan stalwart Croft was in Shrewsbury last Friday night as the entertaining guest speaker at a sportsman’s dinner staged by Shantry’s former club Reman Services.
And the 40-year-old, who played 21 Tests for England, believes left-arm seamer Shantry has what it takes to put his tough season behind him and enjoy a successful comeback for the Welsh club.
Shantry, who made a nostalgic return to Albert Road to watch Croft run through his full repertoire of amusing cricketing stories, recently underwent major operations on both knees.
But Croft said everyone involved at Glamorgan was optimistic the former Priory School pupil would soon be back doing what he does best – taking wickets.
“Adam’s copped a bad couple of knees really but the exciting thing is it’s now been done and he can look forward to getting himself fit and raring to go for next season,” said Croft.
“I know the type of individual he is. He’s a guy who enjoys being on the park and the skills he does have when he’s fit and on top form make the Glamorgan side better.
“It’s been a nasty injury, having two knees done at the same time, but as a team we all want him back and raring to go.”
Croft has been impressed by Shantry’s ability since the 27-year-old arrived in Cardiff in 2008 after spells at Northants and Warwickshire.
He enjoyed a highly productive 2009 but injury – he has suffered chronic tendonitis in his knees for over a year – scuppered his hopes of hitting the same heights this season with his only first team appearance coming against West Indies A in early June.
“Adam’s a guy who swings the ball back at right-handed batsmen which really does cause issues for them,” said Croft.
“You don’t see a lot of that because he’s not the 85 to 88 miles per hour bowler that most sides seem to be striving for.
“The fact he actually bowls at 78, 79 miles per hour is a new challenge for batsmen.
“As an offspinner myself, the fact he can create some rough outside the off stump for the right-handed batsmen is good for me as well.”
By Stuart Dunn