An outstanding bowling performance by Glamorgan saw Surrey dismissed for just 93 as Glamorgan began their NatWest T20 campaign with a resounding eight-wicket victory at The Kia Oval, with Timm van der Gugten on his T20 debut for the Club taking 4/14 – the third best figures in the competition for the Welsh county - and all in front of a crowd of around 16,000.
Timm van der Gugten and Graham Wagg shared the new ball for the Welsh county who have an unbeaten record in the competition at The Oval, whilst Jason Roy and Steve Davies began Surrey’s innings with the former striking the first boundary by drilling Wagg to long-on, followed next ball by a cut to the ropes at point. Davies then found the boundary as he drove Michael Hogan square of the wicket before flicking him to long-leg.
But van der Gugten returned for the fourth over and removed Davies who clipped the Dutchman in the air to Craig Meschede at square-leg. 28/1 then in the space of eight balls became 32/4 as first Kumar Sangakkara played an expansive drive at van der Gugten and Chris Cooke completed a fine one-handed catch above his head, before Roy miscued a drive against Hogan and was well caught at deep extra–cover by Colin Ingram. Craig Meschede then came on at the Pavilion End and with his first ball removed Zafar Ansari who edged to Cooke.
Seventeen year-old Sam Curran then came in and nonchalantly drilled his first ball through the covers before greeting the return of Wagg by pulling him to the ropes at mid-wicket. With Surrey on 44/4 Dean Cosker’s left-arm spin was deployed and Curran reverse-lapped him for four, before employing an orthodox sweep for four next ball. But his exuberant innings ended next over as, with his side on 56, he pulled Meschede to mid-wicket where David Lloyd took a good low catch.
Azhar Mahmood then came in but to his third ball, he set off for a run and pulled a muscle in his right calf, forcing the veteran Pakistani after extensive treatment from the Surrey physio to retire hurt. Tom Curran came in and drilled his first ball for four, but van der Gugten returned and first ball bowled Gary Wilson before trapping James Burke l.b.w as Surrey’s plight worsened to 60/7to make
Matt Pillans then on-drove Meschede for four before Curran scythed van der Gugten over the slips as the Dutchman completed figures of 4/14 – the third best for Glamorgan in the competition, bettered only by 5/14 by Graham Wagg against Worcestershire at Worcester in 2013 and Ryan Watkins’ 5/16 against Gloucestershire at the SWALEC Stadium in 2009.
After some scampered singles against the wily Cosker, Curran clipped Hogan to square-leg but he then chipped the spinner to deep extra cover where Meschede took another good catch as Surrey slipped further to 84/8. Pillans then used the long handle to club Wagg for four to mid-wicket, but he was then bowled heaving at Cosker as Glamorgan dismissed Surrey for 93 – their lowest-ever total in the competition- and all without their overseas pace aces Dale Steyn and Shaun Tait.
David Lloyd and Jacques Rudolph then began Glamorgan’s reply against a Surrey attack missing Azhar Mahmood with the Curran brothers sharing the new ball. Glamorgan began with a series of singles before Lloyd pulled Curran minor for a four to mid-wicket followed by a nurdled four to third man, plus a savage swipe to wide long-on against Curran major.
Lloyd added another four to his tally as he off-drove and cover drove successive balls from Sam Curran to the boundary boards, followed three balls later by another four to deep mid-wicket. Rudolph then found the ropes as he cover drove Pillans first ball for four as Glamorgan reached the 50-mark in the seventh over, but thoughts of the Welsh county recording their third-ever ten wicket victory were expunged as Lloyd miscued a drive against Pillans to mid-off.
Colin Ingram then showed his well-being by on-driving his first delivery for six before Rudolph unfurled his reverse-flick to dispatch Ansari to long-leg. Ingram then carved Burke to third man before spooning a ball to short-midwicket where Pillans completed the catch. 77/2 saw Aneurin Donald join Rudolph with the young tyro surviving a chance at cover as he miscued a drive against Ansari. He celebrated by lofting the spinner for six over long-on.
Rudolph then cover drove Burke for four before Donald pulled Pillans for four to complete an eight-wicket win, as Glamorgan began their Twenty20 campaign in some style, and with forty six balls in hand in a contest with the only fireworks as far as the home side were concerned being the pyrotechnics greeting the teams onto the field and during the interval entertainment.