Lancashire emphatically beat Glamorgan by nine wickets in their match in the Royal London Cup at The Gnoll, Neath

Chris Cooke returned to the Glamorgan line-up for this match with the Welsh county making four changes to their team from the one which lost to Essex on Sunday at Chelmsford with Chris Cooke, Joe Cooke, Andy Gorvin and Ruaidhri Smith replacing David Lloyd, Dan Douthwaite Andrew Salter and James Harris for the first List A game at Neath since August 1994. Lancashire’s decision to bowl first was vindicated as Tom Bailey removed Tom Bevan with the tenth ball of the game as the young opener edged to second slip.

4-1 then became 5-2 as Bailey removed Sam Northeast l.b.w.in his second over. Kiran Carlson got off the mark with an edge just wide of second slip before Colin Ingram struck the day’s first boundary as he punched Will Williams through point for four. He also under-edged a repeat of the stroke before adding another four to his tally with a flick to fine-leg. Carlson then cover-drove George Balderson as well as Bailey as Glamorgan ended the powerplays on 41-2.

Carlson again cover-drove Balderson before edging Williams into and out of the hands of the slip fielder, However, he was not so fortunate in Williams’ next over as, with the total on 60, he edged into George Lavelle’s gloves with Chris Cooke making his way to the middle. He began by cover-driving Danny Lamb but with the total on 76 he edged Liam Hurt with Lavelle completing a regulation catch. Joe Cooke became Ingram’s new partner with the South African flaying Hurt to third man and backward point for successive fours.

Cooke also struck successive fours against Lamb, with the first an involuntary inside-edge to fine-leg and the second a more orthodox on-drive to the ropes. He then pulled Hurt for four before greeting the return of Balderson by driving successive deliveries to long-on and deep mid-wicket, followed by a regal off-drive plus a massive pull for six onto the rugby field. But Balderson made amends for his rough treatment as later in the over, Cooke skewed a drive to Lamb at deep backward point.

With Tom Cullen having joined him, Ingram flicked Bailey to fine-leg en route to completing his fifty from 68 balls. However, four runs later he clipped Lamb into the hands of Luke Wells at deep backward square-leg. 147-6 saw the arrival of James Weighell who began with some firm drives for singles before punching Balderson for four through extra-cover. But with the total on 158 Weighell edged Balderson to Lavelle before next ball Lamb removed Cullen l.b.w. With the total on 164 Ruaidhri Smith edged Hurt into Lavelle’s gloves. Gorvin cover-drove the bowler for four later in the over before Sisodiya flayed Williams to the ropes at third man, but Bailey returned and saw Sisodiya chop a ball onto his stumps.

Luke Wells began the pursuit of 178 by cover-driving Weighell for four before Jennings did the same for three to Smith. Wells then clipped a full toss from Weighell to the ropes at square-leg. Jennings also cut Smith for four before Wells straight drove Weighell before lofting Gorvin over mid-wicket for six. Wells elegantly cover drove Joe Cooke when he entered the attack at the end of the first set of powerplays before bringing up the 50 by on-driving Gorvin for four.

Wells then lofted Gorvin for another six over mid-wicket before Carlson entered the attack. Wells thick-edged the home captain for four. Sisodiya also replaced Gorvin at the Dyfed Road End and was lofted back over his head for six by Wells before completing his fifty from 55 balls. Jennings then on-drove Carlson for four before, with the total on 83, Carlson trapped Wells l.b.w. as Josh Bohannon joined his captain. Jennings also cover-drove Smith for a trio of fours when he returned for a second salvo as well as pulling him for four prior to completing his fifty from 71.

Bohannon also ramped Sisodiya for a pair of four swith Weighell also having another spell and being pulled for four by Jennings. Bohannon also flicked Weighell to fine-leg for four before lofting Gorvin for a straight six. Jennings then on-drove Carlson for four before Bohannon square-cut him for another rasping four before striking the winning runs as he swatted a ball from Gorvin through mid-wicket as Lancashire reached their target in the 36th over.