140 by Nick Selman – his maiden List A hundred- plus 67 from Billy Root helped Glamorgan reach 277/8 in their 50 over quota against Leicestershire in their Royal London One-Day Cup match at the Uptonsteel County Ground. Rain however prevented a resumption until 1530pm and a revised target of 257 in 43 overs for the Foxes, but after one over, the rains returned and washed out the rest of the game.
The Welsh county’s five-wicket victory over Surrey at Cardiff on Tuesday has boosted their hopes of a place in the knockout stages of this competition and, besides lifting them to the top of the group table, the win - achieved with 23.1 overs to spare – has also significantly enhanced their net run rate which could become a vital factor in determining the identity of the teams in the top three places who will progress to the quarter- and semi-finals of the 50 over competition.
Glamorgan made one change to their side which was in action against Surrey with James Weighell replacing Andrew Gorvin, but it was the regular pairing of Hamish Rutherford and Nick Selman who opened the batting after the Welsh county were put in to bat by the Foxes, with more than half an eye on a poor weather forecast later this afternoon. Will Davis struck in his opening over – and his first in this year’s competition - as Rutherford fell to a fine one-handed catch at backward point by George Rhodes. 3/1 saw Steve Reingold join Selman with the pair accumulating in one’s and two’s as Glamorgan reached 31/1 at the end of the powerplays with the first boundary coming after 9.4 overs as Reingold lofted Davis to long-on.
Next over Selman greeted the arrival of Gavin Griffiths into the attack by driving him through backward point for four before Reingold pulled Barnes to the ropes at mid-wicket. Rehan Ahmed, the teenage leg-spinner entered the attack at the Pavilion End and was cover-driven for four by Reingold. Selman did the same to Griffiths before dispatching the next delivery through mid-off, with Reingold also reverse-sweeping off-spinner George Rhodes as the tempo increased.
But with the total on 95, Rhodes trapped Reingold l.b.w. as Kiran Carlson joined Selman who, in the next over, completed a 60-ball fifty. The pair continued to accumulate quietly until Carlson also departed l.b.w. as he tried to sweep the spinner. With the total on 121/3 Billy Root joined Selman and, after reconnaissance, he off-drove Ahmed for four. Selman also reverse-swept Rhodes for four prompting the return of Davis to the attack. The pair though continued to quietly work the ball around until Root swept Aaron Lilley for six
A single to mid-off against Ahmed saw Selman beat his previous best in List A cricket of 92 against Kent at Canterbury in 2018 before square-cutting Griffiths for four. Root then replicated the stroke to reach his fifty from 47 balls before Selman reached three figures by on-driving Ahmed for a single – his 120th delivery. A flurry of singles saw the pair complete their century stand before Selman celebrated by lofting Ahmed for six over long-on with Root flat-batting the sixteen year-old for four over extra-cover later in the over.
However Rhodes returned and ended the stand as Root also departed l.b.w, with James Weighell arriving in the middle to give further late impetus but he harpooned his second delivery to deep mid-wicket where Barnes took a fine running catch and diving forward to cling onto the ball. Joe Cooke came in and biffed Griffiths to the ropes at extra-cover before Selman repeated the stroke next over against Davis, followed by a paddle-sweep to the ropes at long-leg . Cooke was caught at deep mid-wicket next over before Selman inside edged Barnes to fine-leg as rain started to fall over Grace Road. Selman was run out for 140 in the final as he attempted a second run to fine-leg, before Cullen miscued to short third man as Glamorgan ended on 277/8.
The rain which had been falling then intensified during the lunch interval and prevented a resumption until 1530 as well as the loss of seven overs and a revised target of 257 for the Foxes under the DLS Method. Michael Hogan bowled the opening over which proved to be a maiden before the precipitation returned and the players left the field with the home side on 0/0. Steady rain continued to fall and with let-up in the conditions, play was called off at 5pm.