ZAIN UL-HASSAN SIGNS FOR GLAMORGAN

7 Mar 2023   |   By

Zain Ul-Hassan is looking forward to a pre-season trip to Zimbabwe with Glamorgan after a circuitous journey that has taken him from Worcestershire’s Academy to Sophia Gardens via Herefordshire, the South Asian Cricket Academy and five county Second XIs.

All-rounder Hassan was just 17 when he made his Worcestershire debut in a List A match against West Indies A at New Road five years-ago but he was not offered a professional contract by the county and endured two frustrating seasons that were blighted first by an ankle ligament injury then by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He never gave up on his ambition to become a professional cricketer but required patience and resilience to achieve that goal, helped by Herefordshire coach Richard Skyrme who recruited Ul-Hassan to their National Counties squad two years ago.

His performances with Herefordshire helped to secure further trials with Worcestershire in 2021 but it was last summer when Ul-Hassan made the breakthrough after trial spells with Gloucestershire, Kent, Northamptonshire, Surrey and Glamorgan.

He was given an extended run in Glamorgan’s Second XI having impressed playing against them playing for SACA and ended the season with contract offers from both them and Kent for whom he made a century against Yorkshire at Folkestone in September.

Ul-Hassan opted to accept Glamorgan’s offer of a two-year rookie contract and has joined another former Herefordshire player, pace bowler Jamie McIlroy, on the staff at the Welsh county ahead of the new season.

“I played against Glamorgan a couple of times last summer and when they then had a few injuries they called me in and I ended up playing three four-day games in a row for them in August,” Ul-Hassan said.

“I’d played for Kent in a couple of white ball games earlier in the season and they called me back for the last game of the season.

“I got that century against Yorkshire which got Kent interested so I had a choice to make. Looking at the squads, I chose Glamorgan because I thought I would get more opportunities.

“Getting a pro contract is what I have always dreamed of and it’s why I have worked hard all these years trying to get a deal.

“But once you have a deal it doesn’t mean that you relax. You have to aim to go further and to keep working hard to improve.

“It’s an exciting time. I’m looking forward to the season and also our pre-season tour to Zimbabwe which is coming up and I’m excited just to get going.”

As Glamorgan have close links with Wales NC, Ul-Hassan will switch his National Counties allegiance from Herefordshire next season but remains grateful for the part they played in resurrecting his career.”

“It just made sense to register for Wales because of the links that they have with Glamorgan,” he said.

“The coaches follow what Wales are doing. It’s also about being part of the Welsh community and not an outsider.

“But playing for Herefordshire was good for me because they gave me exposure to longer form cricket again after the 2020 season was pretty much wiped off because of COVID.

“It meant that 2021 was the first year where I could really start going on trial. You have to be resilient when you are trialling because you never know when your next game is going to be.

“You have to make sure you are fit and ready for whenever the call comes. It’s quite taxing because you could go four weeks playing for four different teams and then you are playing club cricket at the weekend and also National Counties.

“I got to play a lot more three-day cricket in 2021. Richard Skyrme was amazing because he gave me lots of opportunities with bat and ball which paid off for me in the end.

“National Counties cricket was a huge benefit to me because the standard of the competition is very high as there a lot of ex-pros and young guys aiming to be pros.”

Having helped Herefordshire win promotion to Western Division One of the National Counties Championship in 2021, Ul-Hassan played only white ball cricket for them last season as he pursued his dream of securing a county contract.

The Second XI circuit is unglamorous and demanding but Ul-Hassan’s persistence has finally been rewarded and his story should inspire other players who wonder when their lucky break might come.

“Trialling around can be frustrating but don’t ever give up because you don’t realise how close you are to being signed until it happens,” he said.

“After I had a couple of tough years with injury then COVID, I felt that I was possibly past getting signed but I didn’t give up. You only need one good season and the opportunity is just around the corner.

“So, take every opportunity that you get but also don’t forget to enjoy it. There is pressure when you are on trial and, in the past, I have been guilty of over-thinking things and putting myself under more pressure.

“Last year I tried to make sure that I enjoyed it because if you enjoy your cricket, that’s when you play your best.”