Glamorgan Cricket: Club braced for early Michael Neser exit

Michael Neser has played two Tests and two one-day internationals for Australia

Glamorgan are to bring forward plans to replace Michael Neser after reports that he could get an Australia call earlier than expected.

Neser was not initially named in the Australia squad for a Test match against India and two Ashes Tests against England in June.

But he now looks set to be included in a pre-Ashes training camp.

Championship coach Matthew Maynard is to discuss the issue with Glamorgan director of cricket Mark Wallace.

Australia have named only four fast bowlers so far for their six Tests in England, with their five-match Ashes series continuing through July.

"We're hopeful all four quicks in that squad are available through the whole six Test matches, but if not, clearly we've got some really handy back-up that we're including in the camp," Australia coach Andrew McDonald told the Sydney Daily Telegraph, referring to Neser and Surrey's Sean Abbott.

Neser recently grabbed the county limelight with a career-best 7-32, including a hat-trick, for Glamorgan against Yorkshire in the match which saw England's Jonny Bairstow return to action after injury, after hitting his county best score of 90 against Leicestershire.

He followed up with the match top score of 86 against Worcestershire after taking four wickets in the first innings.

Contingency plans

Neser, 33, and Marnus Labuschagne could play their final Glamorgan game of the season in the next Championship round away to Sussex, who will include Australia batter Steve Smith at Hove.

South Africa's Colin Ingram is already in Cardiff to take Labuschagne's place as the overseas batter, but Neser was expected to play much of the T20 Blast and several more four-day games.

"We were thinking it was going to be later in the year that we might lose 'Ness' so we had a couple of contingencies, but that's potentially come forward. We're looking into that, Mark Wallace and I will be onto that," former England batter Maynard told BBC Sport Wales.

"Ness has been a brilliant professional for Glamorgan, he's got two baggies (Test caps) and I'm sure he'd love to add to those and play in an Ashes series.

"If we lose him, we wish him all the very best, we hope Marnus Labuschagne gets hundreds, Ness gets five-fors, but England win five-nil!"

'Ready to go'

Neser, who was also Queensland's leading wicket-taker during their last Sheffield Shield campaign, was asked if he had heard anything from the national management recently.

"Not as such, but if the opportunity arises I'm ready to go. I've been playing a lot of cricket now so I feel I'm in a good head space and physically too," he said.

"It would be amazing [to get an early national call], but I can't look too far ahead."

His Glamorgan fast-bowling colleague Timm van der Gugten, the Netherlands international born in Sydney, has no doubts that Neser deserves more international cricket.

"That would be amazing for Ness, he's had an unbelievable 24 months, he had a really good season here last year, an amazing season in Australia and he's started well again here with the ball and the bat," said Van der Gugten.

"I was quite surprised when he was left out of that first squad for the Aussies, but I think he'll play some part in the Ashes, which he deserves immensely. He's worked his socks off.

"I'll be a little bit gutted if he goes, I love playing with him. He doesn't say a lot but when he does, it's gold. Selfishly, I hope he stays round for Glamorgan a bit longer but I'd also be over the moon if he gets called up for Australia."