The numbers behind Glamorgan's rollercoaster survival

They made hard work of it, but Glamorgan completed an historic season.

In the 2026 campaign the Welsh county retained their Division One status for the first time, having suffered relegation in their two previous seasons in the top flight.

But their survival looked anything but a certainty with just a few weeks to go.

A second half blip meant they were staring down the barrel of a possible relegation, which previously seemed unfathomable after a strong start to the season.

But a points deduction for Leicestershire alongside a 184-run win over Surrey ensured Wales will enjoy top-tier cricket once again next season.

BBC Sport Wales takes a look at the stats behind their rollercoaster campaign.

Glamorgan wasted no time getting to work in what was their first season back in Division One of the County Championship since 2005.

Spearheaded by hard-hitting captain Kiran Carlson and England Lions international Asa Tribe, they were excellent at the crease and averaged 276.1 runs an innings in their first eight games through April, May and June.

They passed 200 in 11 of the first 15 innings they played – scoring more than 300 in five of those – only tasting defeat twice before the white-ball break.

However, One Day Cup and T20 Blast duties over the height of the summer clearly stalled that momentum.

The stats don’t lie – a dismal run of three defeats and a draw when they returned to red-ball cricket in late August saw them plummet down the table.

Glamorgan’s runs per innings in their first four games back in Championship action decreased to a paltry 132.4. They were even skittled out for 134 over two innings against title-winners Warwickshire.

Head coach Richard Dawson labelled that performance as “unacceptable” in a scathing verdict as their season ran the risk of unravelling in the dying embers.

“You’re always talking to people and focusing on areas where we feel we can support,” said Dawson at the time.

“This isn’t just a player thing, this is me and the coaching staff, all of us as a group.

“We’ve got to put the work in and go in with a clear head next week.”

It was a message that clearly worked as the Welsh county re-found some batting form to steer them clear of relegation.

Tribe again led with the way with two centuries, as Glamorgan averaged 410.3 runs per innings in their final two matches, beating Surrey by 184 runs before a rained-off draw with Essex on the final day of the season.

It secured the Sophia Gardens club sixth place, but many were left wondering what might have been had they not seen such a dramatic late-summer drop-off in batting form.

“It’s been a different challenge for the lads, physically it’s a tough season, especially when you throw in the rest of the competitions as well,” said Dawson.

“We’ve got a slightly smaller squad than quite a few other teams, so it’s been interesting to see how we’ve been able to respond to those challenges as a club, as a changing room and as coaching staff.

“We’ll have a bit of a review. See where we’ve done well, where we can improve and what additions we can make over the winter.”

Surprisingly, Glamorgan’s stats with ball in hand do not follow the same pattern.

During their first eight games they conceded on average 288.8 runs per innings, while in the final six games of the season that increased to 272.4 runs per innings.

Their progress was all the more impressive given injuries to key bowlers, among them Tom Norton.

The 18-year-old burst onto the scene against Somerset in May, becoming the youngest ever bowler to take a hat-trick on a County Championship debut.

Norton took 21 wickets in seven innings before suffering a season-ending injury in July.

The Abergavenny-born seamer finished top of their bowling averages with 22.81, earning him Glamorgan’s 2026 Young Player of the Year title.

“We’ve competed across the season and won some really exciting games of cricket,” added Dawson.

“[We] found out a lot about players [and] developed a lot of players under different circumstances in Division One, against some really good opposition.

“A simple example of that would be finding out what Norton’s got and seeing what he did in that period.”

Andy Gorvin and Pakistani seamer Zain Ul Hassan – who finished second in their bowling averages with 25.04 – also faced a spell on the sidelines due to injury during their crucial run in.

Glamorgan’s seam attack in particular suffered greatly in the absence of Ul Hassan as they were hammered by Somerset and Warwickshire with an innings to spare, piling on the pressure for their final two fixtures.

But they got the job done, aided by the return of all-rounder Ul Hassan, who took a maiden five-wicket haul against Essex during their final fixture of the season.

<

Richard Dawson signed a three-year contract with Glamorgan in 2025 [Huw Evans Picture Agency]

Glamorgan supporters could be forgiven for wondering what might have been this season, but there is plenty to get excited about.

Preparations are now well under way for next year’s Division One campaign as they enter a new era.

Veterans Chris Cooke, Colin Ingram and Billy Root have announced their retirements, clearing the path for some of the Welsh county’s promising young talent who will be eager to make their mark next season.

Dawson will take charge of the team once again, as they aim to cement themselves at the top level of cricket.

“We need to have a ruthless edge to us in all formats. We’ve shown we’ve got the skill level and the ability,” said Dawson, who was linked with the England head coach job during the summer.

“There are so many things we can take away from this season. We’ve got really skilful and talented players, but it’s about how consistent you can be under pressure more often than not.”