Picture by Matt Roberts/Getty Images. New signing Sarah Glenn has joined Yorkshire on a two-year deal.
England star Sarah Glenn says the chance to join Yorkshire was an opportunity too good to refuse.
The leg-spinning all-rounder has moved north to Headingley from The Blaze, on a two-year deal, and links up with former team-mates Lauren Winfield-Hill and Jess Jonassen ahead of the forthcoming summer.
She has represented England alongside Winfield-Hill and played alongside both for the Brisbane Heat.
Glenn, 26-years-old, can’t wait to get started with the White Rose, though admits she may have to be patient as she recovers from surgery on a fractured spinning finger on her right hand.
That was suffered whilst bowling during an England training camp in Stellenbosch, South Africa last month: “The ball was hit back at me,” she said, before joking. “The silver lining, I saved two runs!”
Glenn was speaking at Headingley yesterday, as the Yorkshire squad had their pre-season headshots taken.
“It’s up in the air at the minute,” she continued. “I get the wires out on Monday, and that will determine how quickly my return to cricket is.
“Obviously it’s just something I can’t control, so I’m just trying to put my best effort into the gym while I can and get fit for the season. Then, when I can bowl, I’ll be bowling.
Picture by Matt Lewis/Getty Images. Sarah Glenn has played with captain Lauren Winfield-Hill for England and Brisbane Heat.
“It’s quite a complex fracture, and I had to have surgery.
“But, if I can bend my finger perfectly fine, I can bowl straightaway. Otherwise, it might just need a bit more rehab.
“Obviously, I’m very keen to be a part of this group as soon as I can be.”
Glenn arrives at Yorkshire with 92 limited overs international appearances under her belt and 112 wickets.
She has represented her country at Headingley – as she hopes to do again this summer in the T20 World Cup – and clattered an unbeaten 71 for Central Sparks against the Northern Diamonds in a 2021 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy game.
“That was a great day,” she beamed. “It was a lot of fun.
“I’ve just got lots of good memories here with the ball and with the bat, and I think it’s just quite a special ground. I’ve always looked forward to playing here as someone from a different team. Now, I’m super-excited that it’s going to be my home ground. It’s really cool.
“I watched the girls boss it in Tier 2 last year, and I know a few of them already.
Picture by Philip Brown/Getty Images. Sarah Glenn is currently recovering from a broken finger on her right hand.
“Having a chat with them about the culture they have built here and the environment, in which they really push themselves but have fun, it sounded really inviting.
“I’m at that phase in my career where I really want to push my game on, both with the bat and ball, and I felt it was a great opportunity to do that here.
“There are a few youngsters here who can keep me young, then obviously the likes of Lauren and Jess, who I can lean on from an experience point of view. There’s a really nice dynamic going on in the squad.”
Glenn is preparing for a huge summer on a trio of fronts; for Yorkshire, for England at June’s T20 World Cup and with the Southern Brave, who snapped her up in last week’s Hundred auction.
“I just see it as really exciting,” she said, of the summer ahead. “There’s so many things to be striving for.
“Whichever environment I’m going to be in, whether that’s Yorkshire, England or Southern Brave, I just want to be the same person still pushing really hard and trying to have that positive influence on everyone around me.”
Glenn obviously has a season’s experience of Tier 1 cricket under her belt.
“It will feel daunting, that shift,” she said, when asked what Yorkshire can expect over the next few months.
Picture by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images. Sarah Glenn in the colours of Brisbane Heat.
“But I think it’s just accepting it for what it is. A lot of these girls haven’t played against these other teams, and we can use that to our advantage. It’s about coming out and playing the most positive cricket we can.
“If we have any setbacks, the quicker we learn and bounce back then the stronger the team will be. I think we can do well.”
One thing which all Yorkshire’s players are looking forward to in 2026 is the Roses rivalry, including a Vitality Blast double-header day at Emirates Old Trafford on July 10. And Glenn is no different.
“Everyone loves a bit of rivalry, don’t they, and I think that will be very special to have. Old Trafford is a class ground to play at as well.
“But so is Headingley. It’s a fast pitch and suits my pace of bowling. I can’t wait.”
Glenn is not travelling on Yorkshire’s 10-day pre-season tour to Potchefstroom, which begins on Sunday, and there the county will face the Red Rose county in a pair of 50-over games next Thursday and Saturday.
They will also play against local opposition in the North West Dragons and potentially Surrey.
“We’re taking five Academy players with us, and that will be a great opportunity for them,” said head coach Rich Pyrah. “They will continue their development and push for places.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Rich Pyrah and his Yorkshire players head to Potchefstroom on Sunday.
“Amelia Kemp is coming with us. She’s been signed to our Academy from Northamptonshire. Holly Garton is coming with us, Ines Blackwell too. Then we also have Elicia Pollard and Ellie Nightingale.
“We’ve covered all bases there with the spin, seam and top-order batting.”
The plan is for the likes of Australia-based players in Ami Campbell, Rebecca Duckworth, Jess Woolston and captain Winfield-Hill to meet the squad in Potch.
“It’s an exciting tour,” added Pyrah, whose squad have switched plans from Abu Dhabi given the current situation in the Middle East.
“At one point, we didn’t think we’d be going anywhere. So to be going to South Africa to play two games against Lancs and against local opposition and possibly Surrey, it’s worked out really well for us.
“A big thank you to the club for pushing it through. It would have been easy to cancel and stay here, but they’re really backing what we’re doing.”