Colin Ingram made a superb 89 off 47 balls with 9 fours and 5 sixes with Graham Wagg chipping in with 53 off 28 balls as Glamorgan beat Essex by six runs in another boundary-laden thriller in the Vitality Blast at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, with the victory - their fourth in succession, lifting the Welsh county into third place in the table.
The Welsh county’s emphatic seven-wicket victory over Middlesex at Richmond on Sunday afternoon has lifted Glamorgan into fifth place in the group table, and with a game in hand over teams above them, Colin Ingram’s team are now well-set to press for a top four spot and qualification for the quarter-finals.
After the injury and illness concerns of the past fortnight, Glamorgan are able to field an unchanged line-up for this evening’s match so it was Aneurin Donald and Craig Meschede who opened the batting after Glamorgan had been put in to bat. Ashar Zaidi and Matt Quinn shared the bowling duties, and the latter removed Meschede with his third ball as he miscued a pull into the hands of short mid-wicket.
Colin Ingram arrived in the middle with the total on 7, but one run later Donald departed as he also drove in the air and was caught by a diving Simon Harmer at mid-off. Kiran Carlson joined Ingram as Adam Zampa entered the attack, with Ingram sweeping the leg-spinner for six before off-driving the next ball for four. He then turned his attention to Peter Siddle and drilled him for six and four through mid-on, before pulling Quinn for another rasping boundary and then ferociously cutting the next ball for four.
The boundaries kept coming as Ingram pulled the next ball for four to bring up the fifty before pulling the seamer over the River Stand for six. After a no-ball from the seamer Ingram on-drove him for four followed by a huge six to complete a 21-ball fifty. He celebrated by pulling Zampa for another four before reverse-sweeping Zaidi to the ropes, but with the totaol on 93 Carlson chipped Harmer to Siddle at deep mid-wicket.
Cooke joined Ingram who swept Bopara for four to bring up the 100, before lofting Harmer over long-on for another massive six. Cooke then departed to a catch at fine-leg off Bopara, before next ball Nick Selman departed l.b.w. with Glamorgan on 113/5. Wagg joined Ingram who now accumulated in singles before he lofted Siddle to deep square-leg where Bopara completed the catch.
After another flurry of singles Andrew Salter miscued a drive and skied a catch into Adam Wheater’s gloves. Ruaidhri Smith then cover drove Bopara for four before late-cutting the former England all-rounder for four. He then plonked him into the Grandstand for six to see Glamorgan past the 150-mark.
Wagg then harpooned Quinn for a massive six into the pavilion enclosure before flat-batting and twice straight driving him for a trio of straight fours. Before finishing the over with another straight six. Smith also hooked Siddle for six in the final over before Wagg swatted Siddle for a pair of fours to complete a combative 50 off 28 balls as Glamorgan ended on 198/7 with a torrent of 60 runs off the last 18 balls.
Varun Chopra and Wheater began Essex’s reply with the latter pulling Hogan for four before dispatching the next ball for six over long-on, followed by a rasping off-drive for four. Chopra also pulled Smith for four but the bowler made the prefect riposte as later in the over he saw Wheater pull a ball straight to Carlson at deep square-leg.
29/1 saw Paul Walter join Chopra and the tall batsman scythed van der Gugten for four before his partner swatted him to the ropes. Walter then on-drove Hogan for four whilst Chopra pulled van der Gugten for six, flowed by a leg glance for four. But with the total on 61, Walter drove Meschede in the air to mid-on where Donald took a fine diving catch.
Ten Doeschate duly made his way to the middle and accumulated in singles with Chopra, before edging Meschede for four to third man. He collected a more authentic four by sweeping Salter as the target became 110 from 60 balls. Chopra responded by pulling Smith for six en route to a 35-ball fifty. Ten Doeschate then pulled Wagg for six but next over he was bowled advancing down the wicket to Ingram.
Bopara joined Chopra with the total on 123/3 after 13.3 overs but van der Gugten returned and removed Chopra who top-edged a pull into Cooke’s gloves. Bopara responded by pulling Ingram for six before Zaidi swept him for four as the Eagles task became 56 from 24 deliveries. Bopara duly launched van der Gugten over long-off for six but the Dutchman then removed Zaidi courtesy of a catch at long-on by Smith.
151/5 saw Harmer join Bopara and he immediately used the long handle to drill Hogan over wide long-on for 6 as the task became 37 off 14 balls. Bopara steered Hogan for four to third man before Wagg has hoisted over long-on by Harmer but next ball Wagg had him caught at short third man before delivering two dot balls to Michael Pepper to leave the Essex Eagles needing 24 off the last over.
Bopara hoisted the first ball for four to mid-wicket before outside edging the next to third man. He then miscued a drive for two before clipping the next ball over mid-wicket for six and with eight needed off two balls, Hogan bowled a vital dot ball before Bopara clipped one off the final ball as Glamorgan won by six runs, and after wins last week over Surrey, Gloucestershire and Middlesex, Glamorgan have now won their last four games, equalling their record of four successive victories in 2013, and again in 2016.