Robert Croft (centre) jokes with team-mates during Glamorgan's photo-call

By Bruce Pope BBC Sport Wales

Jim Allenby says that Glamorgan can boast the best home-grown spin attack in county cricket with the likes of Robert Croft and Dean Cosker.

The Welsh county begin their season on Friday against Sussex in the LV= County Championship Division Two.

While Australian all-rounder Allenby admits Glamorgan lack a frontline paceman, he is backing the slow bowlers to give them the edge this season.

"The bowling attack is a lot tighter than it's been," Allenby told the BBC.

"We recognise that maybe we don't have anyone who bowls 90-100mph - until [Australia paceman] Shaun Tait gets here obviously.

"So we're potentially going to have to be a little bit boring at times unfortunately.

We're expecting to win games and that's extremely exciting for everyone Jim Allenby

"Then as days three and four come when we've got the best local [not overseas signings] spinners probably in the country... the best local spin attack bar none.

"We know that's our bowling strength, it's not a secret, each side will know that.

"So if we can stay in the game long enough to let them have a big affect on day three and four, we'll try and get Crofty to his however many 1000th wicket, that'll be a good time for everyone I think!"

Allenby's countryman Tait will arrive at the Swalec Stadium in June for Glamorgan's Twenty20 campaign.

Until then it will be Croft and Cosker, along with the likes of seamers James Harris and David Harrison - unfortunately injured for Friday's opener - who will carry the fight to opposing batsmen.

Although Croft is approaching his 40th birthday in May, the former England player's will to win shows no signs of diminishing, while Allenby is grateful to be able to call on the off-spinner's vast store of knowledge.

"Both on and off the field he's [Croft] seen a lot and experienced a lot, he's been successful no matter where he's been - Test cricket, one day international cricket, domestic cricket obviously he's got a phenomenal record," Allenby said.

All-rounder Jim Allenby says his cricket has improved since joining Glamorgan

"For me personally it's great to speak to him and I know for the younger lads - the spinners, the seamers and the batters - experience like that you can't get anywhere else."

Allenby believes that he has improved his own game since joining Glamorgan from Leicestershire last August - initially on loan - thanks to netting with the bowlers and working with director of cricket Matthew Maynard.

Last season the 27-year-old averaged nearly 45 runs in the County Championship - some way above his first-class career average of 37.36 - while he prospered with a 48 average in Twenty20 games.

Allenby's medium pace also provided valuable support to Glamorgan's front-line bowlers, picking up 26 wickets in all county competitions.

"To practice with Matt Maynard, the coach - his record speaks for itself how he played all forms of bowling - to do a lot of work with him on the spinning ball and then to practice with these lads has really helped my game no end," Allenby said.

"At the end of last year it started showing and through the winter I've worked hard on it and I feel like I'm pretty prepared now for any situation."

While winning the Twenty20 is Glamorgan's chief goal - in common with most of their county rivals - the Welsh side will again strive to gain promotion in the County Championship, as well as qualify for the semi-finals from Group A of the revamped ECB 40 League.

606: DEBATE The batting will be fine and the spin bowling. We have a weak seam attack with no proven depth jonesy5685

"We aim to get promoted, obviously, but we aim to play each game as well as we can," Allenby added.

"If there's another side that's better on the day or if the weather intervenes then there's not a huge amount we can do about that.

"But if we prepare like we are and play to our best then promotion should happen, if it doesn't then it certainly won't be from lack of trying or lack of preparation.

"The feeling in training and the few pre-season games we've had is that we're now ready to win games, we're expecting to win games and that's extremely exciting for everyone.

"Our batting should do very well, we play on a good cricket wicket which helps the top-order batters and probably the spinners historically.

"The batting should look after itself, we're going to have to get a lot of runs because that's the way the game is played now.

"With these new balls we have they don't seem to do as much for the bowlers so the emphasis is on us batters to be getting 400-500 every time we bat."

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