Glamorgan’s courageous run to the Vitality Blast League Two Finals Day was cut just shy of the Final at the County Ground in Northampton on Saturday. Despite a valiant effort, both over the course of their opening campaign and during Finals Day, Yorkshire proved just too strong on the day as they closed events in the seventeenth over to set up a meeting with Middlesex in the Final. Having batted first, Glamorgan reached 124/9 in the opening innings.
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Rain issues during the previous semi-final between Middlesex and Leicestershire resulted in a 3pm start to the encounter, with Lauren Parfitt and Bethan Ellis stepping out to bat under better weather conditions having won the toss.
In the early stages Yorkshire’s bowling worked to contain the runs as our opening partnership looked to build. Having weathered the storm to further establish our attack, Captain Lauren Parfitt was then dismissed for 29 just before the halfway stage. Glamorgan closed the tenth over on 70/1.
Following a solid 41 for Bethan Ellis, Yorkshire’s bowlers then began to work through the gears to the Welsh county’s cost. Glamorgan batting order casualties included Niamh Holland for 13 and Bethan Gammon for 11 as the innings closed to 124/9.
Having established the impressive first season statistic of eight wins and no losses in the Blast campaign, 2026 League 1 bound Yorkshire walked out to chase their target with confidence. Glamorgan’s early innings bowling and fielding skills however made it far less of a procession than perhaps had been anticipated.
The opening partnership of Lauren Winfield-Hill and Georgie Boyce, while restricted were composed as they chipped away, to reach fifty runs in the eighth over.
Most telling of Glamorgan’s fight though was the fact that at the halfway stage, Yorkshire were stood on 68/0, two runs shy from Glamorgan’s total at the same point.
Hope then built further as the eleventh over began, as Bethan Gammon and Poppy Walker immediately combined to dismiss Winfiled-Hill and end Yorkshire’s opening partnership. The wicket gave Glamorgan a justified surge of confidence, with Poppy Tulloch then dispatching Sterre Kalis for a single run.
In the thirteen over, Yorkshire’s run rate fell behind their target for the first time to statistically showcase Glamorgan’s resilience. With the match in the balance however, Maddie Ward’s two quickfire boundaries looked to give Yorkshire the confidence boost they needed.
Opening the sixteenth over needing 27 for the win, Poppy Tulloch gave Glamorgan a last glimmer of hope by ending Georgie Boyce’s charge. As the saying goes though, it’s the hope that kills you. Late sixes from Ami Campbell gave Yorkshire the fuel to see the match end in their favour. We wish both Yorkshire and Middlesex well.
Having made the club immensely proud, Rachel Priest’s team now return attention to the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. As fate would have it, the top two in the League Two table are today’s Vitality Blast finalists Middlesex and Yorkshire. Glamorgan are third on fifteen points, the same as Yorkshire and four shy of Middlesex. We next face Finals Day semi-finalists Leicestershire at Neath CC on Saturday 2nd August.
