Glamorgan appoint Dalrymple

Jamie Dalrymple was one of the few success stories for Glamorgan in a sorry season

Jamie Dalrymple has been named as Glamorgan’s new captain.

The former England all-rounder takes the helm at Cardiff one year after joining the county from Middlesex.

Dalrymple, 27, a former captain of Oxford University, has been the overhwhelming favourite to take over as Glamorgan skipper, after his predecessor, David Hemp, was released in September.

Glamorgan announced that the club’s decision was “unanimous, following a strong recommendation from the cricket manager, Matthew Maynard".

Maynard said: “Jamie was signed by Glamorgan due to his experience and strong character which are both key qualities for a captain.

“Having given Jamie the opportunity to lead the team against Essex at Southend during the season, it became overwhelmingly clear that he was the obvious choice for captain should David Hemp not continue at the club.”

Dalrymple twice stood in as captain while Hemp was away on international duty with Bermuda. Glamorgan beat Essex by 220 runs at Southend, one of only three championship victories in a season that saw them narrowly avoid the wooden spoon.

Dalrymple also skippered the side in the NatWest Pro40 match against Kent Spitfires at Canterbury.

Dalrymple said: “I thoroughly enjoyed playing at Glamorgan last season and it is a great honour to be given the opportunity to captain a club with enormous enthusiasm and potential and such passionate supporters.

“2008 saw substantial improvement on the field and I am looking forward to getting stuck in with the rest of the squad to the task of improving yet further to bring more winning cricket to our new first-class home at the SWALEC Stadium.”

Dalrymple holes out off Steven Finn in an early season encounter with former county Middlesex

Dalrymple, who has played 27 one-day internationals and was part of the England squad that won the CB Series in Australia two winters ago, had a moderately successful first season at Glamorgan in 2008.

He scored 735 runs in the LV County Championship, at an average of 30, scoring 106 against his former county at Colwyn Bay, and a match-saving 74 against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

His performances won him the Watkin Jones Glamorgan Medal for player of the year at the county's end-of-season dinner.

The Welsh county have undergone several personnel changes in the latter half of the season. Mike Fatkin departed as chief executive, and longstanding groundsman Len Smith also left, to be replaced by Andy Atkinson.

Chairman Paul Russell said of Dalrymple’s appointment: “I am absolutely delighted that Jamie has taken up the opportunity to captain the team.

“Jamie is a great asset to Glamorgan and personally I am hugely optimistic about the experience and leadership qualities he will bring to us.”

Cardiff hosts its first Test when Australia visit for the opening Ashes Test of 2009.