Glamorgan (283) beat Essex (251) by 32 runs to go five out of five in this year’s Metro Bank One Day Cup! The first time that Glamorgan have won the first five List A matches since 2004 – the year that the Club won the National League title!

Ben Morris blasted a hole in the Essex middle-order to introduce himself onto the first-team stage as Glamorgan maintained their 100 per cent record in this season’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup at Chelmsford.

A year after making his Glamorgan debut in the competition, the 20-year-old seamer grabbed his maiden List A wickets in only his third appearance with figures of 3/52. He was the perfect foil to his more experienced fellow seamer Jamie McIlroy, who took late wickets to register a career-best 3-33.

That Essex were so close to their second win of the season was thanks to a record last-wicket stand of 68 in nine overs between Ben Allison (26) and Aaron Beard (42 not out).

Sam Northeast returned from injury to cement Glamorgan’s innings with a 93-ball 89. He was ably supported in stands of 74 and 71 by Billy Root and Asa Tribe respectively.

Northeast was eventually out after two hours and 15 minutes, one of seven wickets in which Essex rookie wicketkeeper Simon Fernandes was involved with five catches behind the stumps and two run-outs.

Shane Snater took three Glamorgan wickets for 46 and Jamal Richards posted List A best figures of 3/68 as Glamorgan posted 283.

Essex put Glamorgan in on a green-tinged wicket and Snater exploited the conditions resulting in Eddie Byrom being caught behind off a ball that hissed and fizzed. Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson batted for 11 overs for 13 in a 54-run partnership with Will Smale but flashed a half-volley from Richards low into extra cover’s hands. Smale stroked seven fours in an attractive 43, but departed lbw to one from Richards that nipped back.

Northeast and Root were unperturbed in a stand of 74 that spanned 16 overs until Root pushed Tom Westley for a risky single to mid-on. Northeast showed no interest but Root kept running, Snater dived and threw to the striker’s end to complete the run-out by more than half the pitch.

As the wicket flattened out, Tribe helped Northeast add another 71 in 10 overs until he tried to work Ben Allison down to third man and edged behind. Snater claimed his second wicket soon after when Tom Bevan sliced high and Fernandes made ground to take the catch at short fine leg.

Douthwaite hit Richards for 24 in an over, including two sixes, but a collapse of four wickets in 22 balls for 17 runs followed. At the start of the next over, Northeast attempted to cut Allison and was caught behind. Fernandes claimed a fifth catch when Andy Gorvin tried to ramp Snater and then ran out Douthwaite. Then Morris departed first ball to a catch at fine leg for Richards’ third wicket.

Needing 284, Essex were quickly in trouble. Glamorgan bowled four maidens in the first nine overs, by which time they had sent back openers Feroze Khushi and Nick Browne as well as Robin Das. Khushi got a leading edge to third man against Douthwaite, Browne hoicked Jamie McIlroy to mid-on and Das skied Douthwaite towards square leg where wicketkeeper Smale ran round for the catch.

Sixteen dot balls followed Das’ dismissal before Douthwaite conceded 17 in the 10th over, including three delightful cover drives by Benkenstein, who contributed to Carlson leaking 10 more in the next to drag Essex back into the game.

Benkenstein put on 61 for the fourth wicket with Westley, hitting six fours in his 41-ball 39 before misjudging one from Gorvin that kept low. Noah Thain stayed at the crease for 19 balls before taking a swing at Morris and holed out in the deep.

Morris claimed his second scalp with the ball after Westley had pulled him for four to reach a 72-ball half-century, and then bowled Fernandes for a third.

But it was Douthwaite who sealed the victory finishing the day with bowling figures of 3/41.

Ben Morris took his maiden wickets for Glamorgan and said: “I was a little bit nervous at the start. It’s a year on from my last game but it was an unbelievable feeling to get that first wicket. I’ve done a lot of work over the last year, so it was an amazing feeling. To go and get two more was even better.

“The coaches told me just to go out there, slam a length and really back myself. I just fully believed in myself and the rewards came.

“It was an unbelievable win. The boys batted really well and then Dan [Douthwaite} got us off to a great start with two early wickets to back up his score at the end of the innings. We took wickets regularly, had a little scare at the end, but we managed to get over the line with that last wicket.

“It’s now five from five in the comp. I’m not sure if another win will guarantee us a quarter-final or semi-final but it would be nice to get to the end of the comp with a home semi-final. I think that is eight wins in a row now [including the Blast and Wiltshire game] and momentum can do wonders in sport. Let’s hope we can carry that on.”