Franco Makes First-Class Move

Wales NC slow left-armer Romano Franco has become the seventh National Counties player in under three weeks to be recruited by first-class county.

Franco, 18, has signed a short-term contract with Glamorgan for their defence of the Metro Bank One Day Cup and he went straight into the side for his senior debut in a 72 runs defeat by Hampshire at Neath.

Franco is a product of King’s School, Chester and the Wales pathway system. He made his senior debut for Wales last season in a National Counties Trophy match against Hertfordshire at Hitchin and went on to play two three-day Championship matches later in thesummer.

Franco joined Glamorgan’s Academy last winter and made his most recent appearances for Wales came in a T20 double-header against Buckinghamshire at Ebbw Vale last month when he had combined figures of six for 35 across the two matches.

Franco follows Hertfordshire left-arm spinner Andrew Neal, who made his debut for Hampshire at Neath, in signing a short-term deal with a first-class county.

Franco and Neal were among 12 players in action at Neath who have played National Counties cricket at some stage in their careers with a further 33 involved in the four other Metro Bank Cup matches that were played on Tuesday.

Those also included Lincolnshire’s Joe Pocklington, who made his debut for Nottinghamshire against Essex and Staffordshire pair Rory Haydon and Joe Hawkins and Bedfordshire’s Amrit Basra who all played for Derbyshire in their defeat by Gloucestershire.

They have all signed short-term deals which cover the 50 overs competition while Cambridgeshire batter Nikhil Gorantla has joined County Champions Surrey on a longer-term contract.