Steve Watkin has taken over Glamorgan's cricket academy

What wasn't in doubt was the warm welcome Kasprowicz received from his Glamorgan team-mates, who are hoping to strike up the same rapport as with his predecessor Jimmy Maher.

"Jimmy and I play in the same Queenland team and he has given me plenty of information on the Glamorgan side.

"He said they are a good bunch of guys, who have fun on and off the field. In fact, they won 'The Spirit of Cricket' award last season. That's important.

"Also, he told me the wicket at Sophia Gardens was low and slow. But if that's the case then it might reverse a bit.

"That's what county cricket is all about. You have to play on different types of wickets, and it develops your game."

Kasprowicz has played 17 Tests for Australia, taking 47 wickets, but faces a big task in Wales - replacing Glamorgan legend Steve Watkin.

John Eales was a cricketing colleague of Kasprowicz

Watkin, 37, has retired to take over the county's cricket academy, but Kasprowicz has qualms about the test facing him.

"The targets are usually the same - 1,000 runs for a batsman and 50 wickets for a bowler.

"Hopefully I can get to 50 and then push on from there."

Kasprowicz, who has played county cricket for Essex and Leicestershire, will also come in useful in the pre-match warm-ups.

The Glamorgan players like to indulge in a spot of rugby, and the Queenslander - whose brother plays in the Super 12s - already knows his place.

"I used to play a bit and I'd like to think I can add a bit of a spark," he said. "I'm with the 'oldies' group."

He also has a connection with World Cup-winning skipper John Eales, but said: "We never played rugby together, but John did play second garde cricket alongside me for a couple of games."

Kasprowicz has been named in a 12-man squad for Glamorgan's opening Frizzell County Championship Division Two game with Derbyshire, which starts on Friday at Sophia Gardens.

Glamorgan: James, Hemp, Dale, Powell, Maynard, Croft, Wallace, Thomas, Kasprowicz, Cosker, S Jones, Parkin.