Glamorgan wicketkeeper-batter Chris Cooke will retire at the end of the 2026 season after 16 years with the county.

Cooke, who spent 16 years at Sophia Gardens, will call time on his career at the conclusion of Glamorgan’s Division One campaign, their first in 21 years.

A regular across all formats, the 40-year old captained the club between 2017 and 2019. He took over behind the stumps from club stalwart Mark Wallace in 2017. Wallace, now director of cricket at Glamorgan, described Cooke as “the best keeper-batter” in the county’s history.

“It’s with a mixture of pride and sadness that I announce my retirement,” Cooke told the club’s website.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to have fulfilled a childhood dream of playing professional cricket and to have called Wales my home for the past 17 years. It has been a privilege to represent the ‘Daff’.

“I am excited about the prospect of a last push in Division One. It’s reassuring to leave knowing how strong the club is currently, and how promising the next generation of players are. Diolch am bopeth (thanks for everything).”

Glamorgan sign Mir Hamza

Meanwhile, Glamorgan have reinforced their seam bowling reserves with the signings of Pakistan left-arm seamer Mir Hamza and New Zealand pace bowler Raymond Toole for their Rothesay County Championship run-in.

Hamza returns to Sophia Gardens after a six-match stint in 2024, when he took 12 wickets at 35.5. He will be available for the final five matches of Glamorgan’s Division One campaign, who resume their red ball season away to Leicestershire on Thursday.

The 33-year old has represented Pakistan seven times in Tests but is not part of the current tour of England. The last of those caps was earned against South Africa at Cape Town in January 2025.

Toole, born in Johannesburg but a domestic player in New Zealand for Central Districts, finished the latest Plunket Shield season as the leading wicket-taker, with 35 dismissals at 23.57. The 28-year old has had mini stints at Essex and Durham, and was playing for Glamorgan’s 2nd XI earlier this month. He is available for the match against Leicestershire.

Glamorgan are currently fourth in Division One after earning promotion back to the topflight last summer after a 21-year absence. They are just nine points off leaders and defending champions Nottinghamshire.