Glamorgan Cricket: County hand 16-year-old keeper Alex Horton long-term deal
- Published
Having played for Glamorgan's second XI at the age of 15, Alex Horton now has his eyes on a senior debut
Glamorgan Cricket have given a five-year contract to 16-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman Alex Horton.
Horton, who is still a schoolboy, played for the county's second XI as well as Wales in the Minor Counties competition aged just 15.
He is described as "a talented and mature young man" by director of cricket Mark Wallace.
Horton will combine his cricket ambitions with his A-level studies at St Edward's School in Oxford.
He is already involved with Glamorgan's first XI preparations for the shortened season starting in August, and is even eyeing a possible chance of a senior debut this year.
"It's a massive privilege to get a long contract with my home club who've done a lot for me, and getting it at a young age means there's not a lot of pressure at the start. I just want to keep working hard and improving," the youngster told BBC Sport Wales.
"I'd like to play a bit of first-team cricket towards the end of the year and hopefully quite a lot of first-team over the next four years."
Early ambition
Horton's progress from Newbridge CC through the Welsh system is a welcome boost for Glamorgan, who have sometimes struggled to field a significant number of home-grown players in the last decade.
"Probably at the age of 12, I realised I could make something special out of my life, I was really passionate about the game and thought I could really become something," said Horton.
"I played for Newbridge aged about 12, then progressed to the first team when I was about 13 or 14. I was lucky enough to play for Wales at age-group level and then get into the academy when I was 14. It was really nice to get my (Glamorgan seconds) debut at home at Newport and get my first 50 for the seconds.
"I've had to grow up quickly, so I'm mentally older than I am actually. It's been a really nice experience playing with people a lot older and learning from them. I want to get my education nailed down for something to fall back on but I think cricket will be my career."
Glamorgan director of cricket Mark Wallace spent 18 years as a first-team player at the Welsh county before retiring in 2017
Ready for pro arena
Wallace is Glamorgan's youngest ever wicket-keeper having played aged 17 and was a first-team regular as a teenager.
He is convinced Horton will make the grade at county level or higher.
"For somebody signing so young, it's about his maturity," former Glamorgan captain Wallace said.
"He's been playing a long way above his age for a long time and looked unfazed by coming into the second team last year.
"He's absolutely ready for the professional arena which is why we've decided to invest in him long-term. He's a very talented and mature young man.
"There's a lot of work to be done. These are crucial years for him now and how he develops will have a big impact on how far he can go in the game."
While Horton cites former England players Ian Bell and Michael Vaughan as technically correct batsmen to copy, he has plenty of wicket-keeping experience closer to home in the shape of Wallace and his predecessor behind the stumps for Glamorgan, second team coach Adrian Shaw.
The teenager's first appearance of 2020 came for Shaw's Glamorgan Academy side against Newport, for whom Wallace still turns out.
"Wally and Shawsy have helped me a lot throughout my career. I try to take as much off them as possible because they've done it for years at the highest level," said Horton.
Wallace is hopeful Horton will take his record as Glamorgan's youngest gloveman, before potentially going on to higher honours.
"He's ambitious, he's played like a veteran at times for the seconds, and while all our players are eyeing up games this season, there's no reason Alex shouldn't be in the same bracket," said Wallace.