A feisty cameo of 29 from 24 balls by Lukas Carey saw Wales National County defeat Glamorgan by three wickets after Connor Brown had made 67 in their 50-over friendly, staged behind closed doors at Sophia Gardens.
After Kiran Carlson had won the toss, Hamish Rutherford the Kiwi international marked his 1st XI debut by opening the batting with Nick Selman and he square-drove the second delivery to the ropes from Lukas Carey who opened the bowling for the Wales side who had enjoyed a stirring victory on Sunday over Herefordshire in the National Counties knock-out competition at Port Talbot Town CC.
Richard Edwards shared the new ball with the Pontarddulais seamer and was on-driven for four by Selman before Carey was also drilled through extra cover by Rutherford followed by a square-drive from Selman. But Carey made amends with his next delivery as Selman top-edged a rising ball and was caught by Tom Bevan at backward point. 27-1 then became 29-2 as Carey struck again as Carlson miscued a drive to Tegid Phillips at short mid-wicket.
With Billy Root as his new partner, Rutherford again cover-drove Edwards for four but next delivery the opener was bowled by a delivery which appeared to scuttle through. 37-3 immediately became 37-4 as Callum Taylor feathered the next delivery into Cameron Herring’s gloves. After early reconnaissance, Root off drove Tomos Jones for four before scampering a series of singles with Tom Cullen who nearly chipped Jones to short mid-wicket.
Cullen then greeted the introduced of Sam Pearce’s leg spin by swatting him twice to the ropes at mid-wicket to bring up the half-century stand. But with the total on 94, Root departed l.b.w. to the twirler who later in the over might have also had Cullen caught behind. Joe Cooke began with a brace of singles as Tegid Phillips’ off-spin was also introduced, and the youngster ended Cooke’s innings as the left-hander was caught sweeping at deep square-leg by Oscar Kolk.
128-6 then became 137-7 as Edwards returned and trapped Cullen l.b.w. for 41. Andrew Salter pulled and upper-cut Edwards for boundaries but ,with the total on 160, Ruaidhri Smith chipped Phillips into the hands of short mid-wicket. Salter and Walker then worked the ball around for a series of singles before Gorvin bowled Salter with the total on 176. Michael Hogan immediately put bat to ball and cover drove Carey for a pair of fours, and with Walker also finding the gaps, the pair added 26 before Walker skied Carey to mid-off, leaving Wales a target of 203 to win.
Glamorgan were dealt a blow in the second over as Smith, after bowling his first delivery, appeared to suffer a reoccurrence of his hamstring injury and departed the field for treatment. Walker completed the over and with the final ball removed Tom Bevan who edged a delivery into Cullen’s gloves. Steve Reingold then on-drove Hogan for four before Connor Brown drove the evergreen seamer to the boards at long-off.
Reingold also drilled Walker to long-off for four before Brown upper cut Walker to the ropes at third man followed by a deft clip to fine-leg for another boundary. Brown also off-drove Cooke for four and three before late-cutting Salter for four. Reingold also straight-drove and pulled the off-spinner for boundaries before Connor off-drove Taylor for four en route to completing his fifty from 70 balls.
Brown then deftly late cut Taylor for four to bring up the hundred before Reingold swept Salter for four to bring up the hundred partnership. But two overs later, Reingold departed as he was run out for 44 attempting a third run after a mis-field. Kolk duly joined his Lansdown team-mate and reverse-swept Taylor to the ropes. But later in the over Brown played an orthodox sweep against Taylor and Alex Horton, the substitute fielder took a fine one-handed catch diving to his right.
129-3 immediately became 129-4 as, next over, Kolk swatted Walker into Cooke’s hands at backward point with Herring and Greg Holmes joining forces. The latter cover-drove Walker for four but the seamer completed a disciplined spell as the asking rate started to rise. Holmes then had a life as Horton at fine-leg lost sight of a top-edged pull, but later in the over Cooke removed Herring as he edged a drive into Cullen’s gloves.
The target for Sam Pearce and Holmes duly became 53 from the last ten overs with the pair pushing the ball around for singles against the spinners, but with 39 needed Holmes swept Salter to deep mid-wicket where Cooke completed the catch. Carey made his way to the middle as Hogan returned to the attack for the final three overs at the River End.
Pearce nearly clipped Salter to Cook at mid-wicket but then top-edged a sweep against salter and was caught and bowled. Carey responded by harpooning the spinner for a huge six as the task became 27 from 24 balls before Carey swatted Hogan for another maximum. Five wides and a clip to fine-leg for four by Carey followed in the next over as the equation became 8 from 12 balls. Carey on-drove Hogan for four as three were needed from the final over from Taylor. After a couple of dot balls, Gorvin found a single to mid-wicket with Carey then settling the match with a pull for four to deep backward square-leg.