Herefordshire were 93-4 from 23.1 overs when rain ended play in their one-day friendly against Glamorgan at Eastnor CC.
With the Metro Bank One-Day Cup starting next week, all of the first-class counties are involved in showcase fixtures against the National Counties with Glamorgan meeting Herefordshire in the shadows of Eastnor Castle and on the outskirts of Ledbury. It was August 1896 when Glamorgan last played Herefordshire in a competitive 1st XI game with the contest at Cardiff Arms Park seeing the Welsh county win by six wickets. In more recent times, Glamorgan played in Herefordshire in 1981 when they met Worcestershire in a County Championship match at the now defunct ground in the centre of Hereford racecourse.
James Harris who was leading the youthful Glamorgan team opened the bowling in tandem with Harry Podmore and was cover driven for four by Ben Chapman-Lilley but in Harris’ next over the opener drove a ball into Ben Kellaway’s hands at backward point. 9-1 Nick Hammond join Conor Smith with the new batter on-driving Harris for four before Smith pulled Podmore for six. But the bowler had the last laugh as with the final ball of the over he trapped him l.b.w.
28-2 saw the arrival in the middle of home captain Matt Pardoe and he began by clipping Harris for four to square-leg. Ben Morris and Prem Sisodiya then entered the attack as the home side continued to accumulate in one’s and two’s. But with the total on 56, Pardoe edged Morris into Horton’s gloves. Ollie Walker announced his arrival by thumping a free hit from Morris over extra-cover for six.
Hammond then cover-drove Morris before outside-edging Dan Douthwaite for four to third man as light drizzle started to fall. Kellaway then replaced Sisodiya and lured Hammond down the track whereupon he was stumped by Alex Horton. Ollie Rogoff joined Walker but in the 24th over the rain got heavier and forced the players off the field. An early lunch was taken at 13.45pm but the rain was still falling at 1530pm when the umpires called play off as the game was declared a 'No Result'.