An unbeaten 51 by Jacques Rudolph steered Glamorgan to a four-wicket victory on the fourth and final day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Derbyshire at Colwyn Bay as they successfully chased a target of 196 in a minimum of 62 overs.
Close of Play Report
The equation for Glamorgan after tea was 112 runs from the remaining 39 overs with Jacques Rudolph and Aneurin Donald looking to steadily accumulate after the departure of Mark Wallace in the final over before tea. But the situation changed as in the first over after the interval as Donald chipped a ball from Davis into the hands of short mid-wicket
With David Lloyd as his new partner, Rudolph on-drove Ben Cotton for three before savagely cutting Davis for four. Rudolph then greeted the return of Tony Palladino by cover-driving him for four as well as swatting him through extra-cover for another rasping boundary. Lloyd then firmly on-drove Palladino for four before Rudolph greeted the introduction of Matt Critchley by twice reverse-pulling the leg-spinner for four.
A heavy bank of cloud had started to build up and a few drops of rain were falling as Davis witched to the Penrhyn Avenue End and was clipped to long-leg by Lloyd who then fiercely pulled the next ball for four before dispatching the following delivery through point for the third successive boundary.
Derbyshire, with an eye on their adverse over rate, opted for an all-spin attack and Rudolph greeted the return of Madsen by cover-driving his fellow Springbok, but later in the over, Lloyd attempted a sweep and departed l.b.w. 154/5 then became 157/6 as Wagg edged Critchley to slip as Craig Meschede joined the captain with 39 runs still required from 22.5 overs.
The all-rounder clipped Critchley to mid-wicket before straight-driving Davis for six as sunshine bathed the Rhos-on-Sea ground. Meschede then dispatched the next ball through extra-cover before Rudolph completed his fifty from 74 balls by cover-driving Critchley. Meschede then straight-drove Madsen for four, before square-cutting the spinner to the pavilion boundary and then lofting him straight for six as Glamorgan clinched victory by four wickets with 17.2 overs remaining.
Teatime update
Despite having been behind the stumps for 214.1 overs, Mark Wallace opened the innings with Nick Selman with the latter cutting Ben Cotton for four to launch the pursuit of 196 runs to record Glamorgan’s first victory of the summer in red ball cricket. The opener then bisected first and second slip as he edged Cotton for four. Wallace then cut Cotton for four before twice cover-driving Will Davis to the ropes.
Selman also firmly steered Cotton through backward point for four before the 50-stand came up with four byes as a delivery from Palladino scuttled through and evaded the grasp of Harvey Hosein behind the stumps. But six runs later, Shiv Thakor entered the attack and had Selman leg before as Will Bragg joined Wallace with 140 runs still required. The southpaw began with his trademark punch off the back foot as he dispatched Thakor through extra cover, but next over he was bowled by Palladino as Glamorgan lost their second wicket on 65.
Jacques Rudolph joined Wallace who steered Thakor through backward point for four before the Glamorgan captain flicked Palladino to fine-leg. But in the final over before tea, delivered by Wayne Madsen, Wallace was caught at short fine-leg as he attempted a sweep.
Lunch Report
Derbyshire were 413/6 at the close of play last night with an overall lead of 72 over a Glamorgan side seeking their first Championship win since June 25th last summer when they defeated Leicestershire at The SSE SWALEC by 137 runs. There had been greater resistance second time around from the Derbyshire batsmen as Chesney Hughes and Wayne Madsen led a fightback in scorching temperatures – in stark contrast to the snow, sleet and hail at Derby when the two teams met previously in the season.
The doom-mongers in and around Llandudno last night were suggesting that the forecasted thunderstorms and downpours might wash out the last day’s play but despite lightning and thunder at breakfast time, play began promptly at 11am as Billy Godleman and Matt Critchley looked to further frustrate the home bowlers. Michael Hogan resumed the bowling at the Penrhyn Avenue End with Craig Meschede at the Embankment End. Critchley began by cover-driving Hogan for four before Godleman did the same to Meschede, followed by a six on the up over extra cover.
Critchley also fiercely cut Meschede for four before pulling Hogan to backward square-leg, followed by a rasping straight drive to the boards at long-off. David Lloyd and Graham Wagg then took over the bowling duties, and after a flurry of singles the batsmen completed a century stand, with Derbyshire’s total having already exceeded their best second innings score against the Welsh county which had previously been 462-6 made at Sophia Gardens in 2002.
Andrew Salter then returned to the attack with the off-spinner being on-driven for four by Critchley as he completed his fifty from 89 balls before the spinner brought up the 500 – only the fourth time any county has amassed over 500 in their second innings against the Welsh county. But by this time, Derbyshire had lost Godleman as with the total on 496, he edged a hook against Wagg into Mark Wallace’s gloves as the long-serving keeper took his ninth catch of the match to equal Colin Metson’s Club record having twice claimed nine catches in a Championship match – against Worcestershire at New Road in 1993 and against Surrey at The Oval in 1995.
Tony Palladimo continued the rally by sweeping Salter for four before Owen Morgan had another spell in place of Wagg, but with the total on 507 Salter ended Palladino’s brief stay in the middle as he edged a drive into Hogan’s hands at first slip. Three runs later Morgan trapped Will Davis leg before Hogan returned and was driven for four by Critchley . The second new ball was then taken after 161 overs as Meschede returned to the fray with Cotton clipping him to fine-leg, but Hogan then had Cotton caught at second slip by Donald as the Derrbyshire resistance ended on 536.