What will Glamorgan-Fire deal mean for Welsh cricket?

Glamorgan believe the investment deal in Welsh Fire can boost cricket in Wales by building on their national identity in global markets.

A deal has been completed for the Welsh county to have an equal stake in The Hundred franchise with Washington Freedom, who are owned by Sanjay Govil.

Fire were valued at £84.6m and investors in all Hundred teams will take operational control from October 1, after this year's competition.

Australian superstar Steve Smith is on the roster of both teams and is poised to make his Fire debut in August.

• Get cricket news sent straight to your phone

Glamorgan chief executive Dan Cherry believes the link-up will allow Fire, and the Sophia Gardens county, to grow alongside Freedom.

He said: "They have got a host of internationally renowned talent playing for them - people like Glenn Maxwell, Lockie Ferguson, Travis Head.

"There are going to be huge opportunities for us potentially to work alongside the Washington Freedom team to hopefully share players, coaches, ideas on the playing side and then off the field tap into new markets for us globally, with strong links in America but also India and Australia.

"It's a really exciting time for us to grow the brand of Welsh cricket by utilising Welsh Fire but also ensuring that we get the benefits back for Glamorgan County Cricket Club at the same time."

Fire's men team have never progressed from the group stages while the women were third in 2023 and runners-up last year.

Cherry hopes an upturn in fortunes can help attract more fans to Cardiff.

"There's a long road ahead and we have a lot of work to do to fill the stadiums, get the teams winning and make sure we create the best possible environment here in Wales," he said.

"Mr Govil and his team over in America have seen the benefit of having a strong identity. We are representing a country and not just a city, like some of the other teams," he continued.

"We will be looking to maximise that to ensure that we fill out this stadium and really grow an atmosphere here at Sophia Gardens."

A Glamorgan core

Fire get their 2025 campaign under way on 7 August with a double-header against Northern Superchargers in Leeds.

The men will feature Chepstow's Ben Kellaway along with his Glamorgan teammate Mason Crane, while Wales' Alex Griffiths will feature for the women.

"We haven't really had a Glamorgan core and that is something we would love to do," admitted Cherry.

"Having Mason playing is great and it's really exciting to see Ben Kellaway, a young 21-year-old lad from Wales who has come through our pathway, now having the opportunity to work alongside Steve Smith and learn from our coach Mike Hussey to hopefully take his game to the next level and be a mainstay of the Welsh Fire team for years to come."