Glamorgan captain Michael Hogan believes the high-profile signing of Shaun Marsh can help the county’s young Welsh talent kick on from the progress they made next year.

Hogan, the tall Australian seamer who has just spent his second winter in Wales ahead of his sixth season with Glamorgan, played a key role in the recruitment of Marsh.

The left-hander, such a thorn in England’s side during the Ashes series in the winter and currently in Test action in South Africa with Australia, was a long-standing teammate in Western Australia.

Now Hogan is relishing the prospect of Marsh’s arrival to boost Glamorgan’s batting line-up as they bid to challenge for promotion from Division Two of the Specsavers County Championship – with their opening fixture over the Severn Bridge against Gloucestershire next month.

“Shaun will be such an asset in the dressing room,” said Hogan, who will lead Glamorgan in Championship cricket, with Colin Ingram taking over for the Royal London One-Day Cup and Vitality Blast.

“He’s a quiet guy, but when he speaks, people need to listen - there’s a lot of merit in what he says.

“We signed Shaun before the Ashes series started after he had been left off Cricket Australia contract’s list, and we were fortunate there as I am sure there would have others ready to talk to him after the series ended.”

There was a further bonus when he missed out on the IPL auction, ensuring his availability for those early-season fixtures in both Championship and 50-over cricket.

Glamorgan ended a mixed 2017 season with real optimism when the new breed of young Welsh talent confirmed their potential by beating Kent in Canterbury, that coming after a number of other encouraging individual performances from the likes of Kiran Carlson and Andrew Salter in the preceding fixtures against Gloucestershire, and Sussex in Colwyn Bay.

“What does excite me is the development of the young players,” Hogan added. “If they can replicate the performances they produced at the end of last season, then I am sure we can look forward to a successful year in all formats.

“These young players deserve a lot of credit for adapting themselves to the challenges they faced when they came into the team. They have now crossed the gain-line, and will have the opportunity to go on to better things. We are happy with their progress, and the signs are good for us.”

Hogan, a British passport holder who nevertheless admits to being surprised to hearing his young children developing Welsh accents, has certainly seen more snow than ever before during the recent cold snap.

But now he is looking forward to some warmer temperatures, with Glamorgan heading for Dubai, where they will spend ten days practising and playing games against Surrey and Lancashire.

“In previous seasons we have started behind the pace, but this trip will give us the opportunity to have some miles in the legs and be ready for the season ahead,” he concluded.