Colin Ingram: South African batsman 'thrilled to be back' at Glamorgan

Colin Ingram averaged 26.10 runs per innings in his last T20 season for Glamorgan in 2019

Glamorgan's top T20 run-scorer Colin Ingram says he is "thrilled to be back" in Wales after missing the 2020 season because of international travel problems.

The South Africa international will be one of Glamorgan's overseas players for the T20 Blast, after previously playing under a Kolpak registration.

He believes Glamorgan will be "really competitive" in the tournament.

They start their campaign at home to Gloucestershire on Thursday 10 June.

Ingram, 35, has scored 2,031 runs at an average of 35 in the short format including three of the six hundreds registered by Glamorgan.

After 10 days in quarantine at a Heathrow hotel, he was delighted to arrive back at Sophia Gardens to join the team's Blast preparations.

"It was all smiles coming down the road, over the (Severn) Bridge and back into Wales again, quarantine's one of the things you've got to deal with these days but I had a big smile on my face when I did get out, and it's great to be back," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"I've done enough quarantine, you have good and bad days but it's worthwhile to get playing again and I'm thrilled to be back."

"Hungry and fresh"

His inability to leave South Africa for a large part of 2020 meant a long lay-off before featuring for Hobart Hurricanes in December, while he did not take the field in the UAE T10 event and had a spell in the Pakistan Super League with Karachi Kings cut short by coronavirus problems in the country.

"From when I left here last in 2019 I haven't played as much cricket as I would like, but to have the Blast in full force is going to be great, I looked at the calendar and it's going to come thick and fast," said Ingram.

"Who knows what sort of form I'm in? It's difficult training away from a squad when I'm at home in South Africa since I train on my own, with my dad and the bowling machine, and with Michael Smith a local coach.

"So I'm excited to get back into it and when I'm hungry and fresh it usually brings out the best in my game and I'm looking forward to putting in some big plays as usual."

Colin Ingram scored 258 runs in 10 innings for Hobart Hurricanes in the 2020 Big Bash League.

Ingram will be hoping to team up with Australian star Marnus Labuschagne to provide plenty of runs in the Glamorgan top order.

"Marnus has had a really exciting 18 months, probably sparked by the 2019 season here, so it's great to spend more time in the dressing room with him though I hear he's a bit of a handful around, causing a few laughs and a few pranks. Hopefully I can learn a bit from him and he can learn a bit from me, and we can keep marching forward," Ingram said.

"It's always the goal to qualify for the quarter-finals coming into a season, we've got an exciting white-ball brand here at Glamorgan and if we do the small things right and play fearlessly, with the squad we have now, I don't see why we shouldn't be really competitive.

"Everyone's really excited to have people back (in the stands), making a noise and sharing the experience."

Hundred switch

While Ingram is due to help with the Academy and possibly play some Championship cricket for Glamorgan, he will also be spending time with Oval Invincibles for the Hundred franchise competition in July and August.

He was originally due to line up for Welsh Fire as a "local hero" in 2020, but no longer qualified as a local player in 2021 post-Brexit and was snapped up by the South London outfit as an overseas player instead.

"Things didn't work out as I'd hoped 18 months ago, but it's a wonderful opportunity to be part of a new competition," Ingram reflected.

"It has had its critics but any new event is exciting in terms of captivating crowds, and the people we can reach, the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) are big on growing the game, and I'm fully on board with that."