Donald ready to fly Welsh flag in Hundred final at Lord's
Welshman Aneurin Donald will feature for Trent Rockets in Sunday's Hundred final at Lord's, even though Welsh Fire failed to qualify. He says he takes pride in representing Wales rather than England.
Although Welsh Fire will not be part of this year's Hundred final, Wales will still have a representative on the pitch at Lord's on Sunday. Aneurin Donald, 29, will bat for the Nottingham-based Trent Rockets as they take on Manchester Superchargers.
Born in Gorseinon near Swansea, Donald began his career at Glamorgan before leaving in 2018 and joining Derbyshire. He says he remains deeply attached to Welsh cricket and regularly reminds people that he represents Wales, not England, within the England and Wales Cricket Board setup.
Strong season form
Donald was signed by Trent Rockets at auction after a standout T20 Blast campaign with Derbyshire, finishing as the competition's sixth-highest run scorer with 489 runs, including a strike rate of 230 in one innings. He earned his Hundred opportunity after England batter Tom Banton was ruled out through injury, and made the most of his chance as Rockets finished top of the table.
He credited Derbyshire and director of cricket Mickey Arthur for his development, saying he feels settled and valued at the club, including being given the chance to captain the side in white-ball cricket.
International ambitions
Once an England Under-19s prospect at Glamorgan, Donald acknowledges a Test recall is unlikely at this stage of his career, but remains hopeful of opportunities in white-ball franchise cricket, including the IPL. After the Hundred, he will play in a 10-over league in Canada.
Donald spoke positively about the Hundred's growth in standard and its appeal to families during school holidays, expressing hope that it can continue alongside the T20 Blast and One Day Cup. He also apologised for a recent run-out caused by failing to ground his bat, promising to be more careful running between the wickets in the final.
