GLAMORGAN appear to be preparing for life without captain Alviro Petersen.

Petersen's appointment as Glamorgan captain in November last year sparked a winter of discontent at the club which led to the resignation of three key figures, including the displaced skipper Jamie Dalrymple.

The new man arrived in Cardiff with an impressive pedigree, being one of only three South African players to reach a century on their Test debut when he scored 100 against India at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in February 2010.

But the appointment has failed to improve the county’s fortunes and it appears a similar changing of the guard will take place at the end of this season.

Petersen has only passed 50 three times in 18 innings and suffered a king pair in last week’s County Championship defeat at Derbyshire.

He has been critical of his own form on social networking website Twitter.

"I'm playing the worst cricket of my career, people always upset with me, responsibility, some like it when I fail. Can't get worse," he posted earlier this summer.

"I will never quit though and will only take those with me who support me."

"Its [sic] a lonely place when things aren't going well," he added.

And managing director of cricket Colin Metson confirmed yesterday that Petersen is unlikely to be at the Swalec Stadium next year.

"Alviro didn’t have any Test commitments this summer so we knew we had him for six months," he said. "In September he goes back to prepare for his Test campaign. We don’t know after that. We are planning to appoint from within and look for an overseas player who can come in for next year."

One man who could be back in Glamorgan colours next year is Simon Jones.

The ex-England star features in Glamorgan’s squad for tomorrow’s Clydesdale Bank 40 clash with Essex after extending his loan with the county by two weeks.

The 2005 Ashes hero rejoined the county from Hampshire last month and took 10 wickets in his 10 games in the Friends Life t20 campaign.

The 32-year-old will also be able to play in the two games at the Swansea festival at St Helen’s – the County Championship game with Northamptonshire and the 40-over encounter with Nottinghamshire.

His presence is welcome as seamer Graham Wagg is struggling with a calf strain and Huw Waters is sidelined with a back injury.

Metson said: “Simon has been an important element of our attack in the Friends Life t20 competition.

“We are still in the mix to qualify for the semi-finals of the Clydesdale Bank40, and with several important matches coming up in the next couple of weeks, we look forward to Simon continuing his good form with the ball.”

Glam have little margin for error in their bid for the knock-out stages of the 40-over competition.

They lie in third in Group C at the halfway stage, two wins behind Surrey with six games remaining.

Glam have named a 13-man squad for tomorrow’s game against the Eagles at Chelmsford, adding Nick James and Alex Jones to the XI that took to the field in Sunday’s washed out clash with the Unicorns.

Squad: A Petersen (captain), G Rees, J Allenby, S Walters, C Cooke, N James, M O’Shea, M Wallace (wicket-keeper), J Harris, W Owen, D Cosker, A Jones, S Jones.