My optimism last week was misplaced. There was me thinking that the rain-aided draw against Sussex at Swansea would kick-start something more positive for Glamorgan, and they go and produce another abject display against Kent at Cardiff.

I was one of the 40 or so former players who attended their annual re-union on the Friday and Glamorgan's demise did not make pleasant viewing. However, despite what some might think I did not hear anyone muttering "it was better in our day". Rather, there was sadness at what was happening and some attempts to explain why things are as they are at present.

At least we were treated to a regal batting display from Sourav Ganguly in a sparkling 142 - one six he hit over mid on off quickie Amjad Khan was quite incredible, hit like a baseball shot off the front foot from a short ball. But otherwise it was all doom and gloom as the other batsmen succumbed to some poor shots.

Being a batsman myself, I might be biased, but I think it should be mentioned how poorly the bowlers have been performing this season. Chasing totals of 400 and 500 is not easy and it is understandable how the batsmen have folded under the pressure at times. That is not to excuse some of the shot selection I witnessed on Friday, though.

I have written many times about how Glamorgan should have signed a second overseas player before the start of the season, but I would not have been upset if they had signed a bowler. Michael Kasprowicz was, after all, the original selection.

I worry that Glamorgan do not have, at present, someone to lead their attack. Kasprowicz did that, as did Steve Watkin before him. I think Simon Jones can do it, but he is not going to be around now- so it is up to one of the others to step and take the mantle.

Much has been made of the fact that David Harrison is bowling wide of the crease (which he is doing) and how that is diminishing his effectiveness, but it has not been mentioned that he doesn't have Kasprowicz bowling at the other end this season. He is still a young man and having that experience to help him is still so important.

Alex Wharf should be able to shoulder the responsibility, but he needs to get himself fit in order to do so. Sadly Darren Thomas has shown that he is wholly incapable of doing it and thus has been dropped. He has not bowled consistently well for a couple of years now which is disappointing because he is at the stage of his career where he should have matured sufficiently to be the spearhead.

Another player to be dropped for the match at Southgate this week against Middlesex was Mike Powell, another who is going to have shoulder extra responsibility after the retirement of Matthew Maynard. Powell has not been in good form, and has been getting bowled a lot, which is not a good sign for any batsman, but I still would not have dropped him.

He is averaging 29 in championship cricket, which is not brilliant, but he is being replaced by Jonathan Hughes who has had more noughts this season than anyone else in the country. Yes, he has scored some runs in the second team but from what I have seen and heard that is a poor standard of cricket these days. Powell is a much better player than Hughes, end of story.

I fear Powell has been dropped just to make a point to him that his place is not cast in stone. I'm sure he knew that anyway.

Any professional cricketer should know that. In fairness most of the better Glamorgan cricketers of recent vintage have been dropped at some stage - I can remember sharing a depressed room with Croft at the Oval when we had both been demoted and even Maynard was dropped once by skipper Alan Butcher- so let us hope that it has its desired effect and that Powell is soon back to his best and bludgeoning county attacks like we know he can.

A final word about England's stunning Twenty20 victory over Australia on Monday at the Rose Bowl. It was truly exhilarating but let's not get too carried away, please.

Twenty20 is vastly different from 50 over cricket, let alone Test cricket, so there is nothing to be read into this crushing victory, apart from the fact that England have shown that there are going to compete feverishly this summer.

The best part of their win for me was the fielding, which was razor-sharp. Such a display indicates that a side is happy and united. That can only be a good thing.