A remarkable 115 by Colin Ingram, plus an unbeaten 59 from 27 balls by Chris Cooke saw Glamorgan record a thrilling three-wicket victory over Hampshire as they posted their highest-ever run chase in List A cricket at the Ageas Bowl to keep alive their gossamer-thin hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Royal London One-Day Cup.
After a slightly delayed start, and the loss of one over,Glamorgan made two changes to their side from the one that lost on Wednesday against Middlesex at Radlett, with Andrew Salter and Lukas Carey replacing Aneurin Donald and Timm van der Gugten. Marchant de Lange took the new ball and was carved through point and mid-wicket in his opening over by fellow South African Riley Rossouw who then glanced Carey to fine-leg followed by a fierce cut off the back foot. He then clipped de Lange to mid-wicket for another sweetly-timed four before steering Carey through point and fine-leg for another couple of boundaries.
With the total on 41, Tom Alsop edged de Lange into Cooke’s gloves as James Vince made his way to the middle. He began by cover-driving the paceman began greeting the introduction of Michael Hogan by drilling him through the covers, but with the total on 54, Rossouw was bowled by de Lange before two balls later George Bailey spliced a delivery into Kiran Carlson’s hands at backward point.
Liam Dawson began by straight driving Hogan for four before Vince cover-drove de Lange before Carey returned for a frugal second spell. Craig Meschede then bowled in tandem with Salter who conceded an early boundary as Vince steered him through backward point before the home captain unfurled a booming off-drive against Meschede as Hampshire reached the 100-mark in the 20th over.
Vince nonchalantly cut Salter for four to complete a 59-ball fifty prior to sweeping Colin Ingram when he entered the attack. Dawson also swept the leg-spinner to the boards before Vince pulled him for a rasping four. He then nurdled Hogan to the ropes at third man before swatting Meschede to mid-wicket for another fiercely struck boundary. Next ball he cover drove Meschede before reaching his century from the next delivery – his 98th as he continued to lay the foundation of a sizeable total.
Dawson also glided Meschede to third man for a languid boundary en route to a 69-ball fifty. The 200 duly came up courtesy of a huge six over mid-wicket as Vince pulled Carey, followed by a glance to fine-leg against de Lange. Vince then drove Carey on the up over mid-off for six before steering the next ball through backward point for four as the home side ended the second powerplay on 235/3.
Vince continued to find the ropes as Hogan returned and was steered to third man before Dawson cover-drove the seamer. Jacques Rudolph then sustained a hand injury diving to stop another booming drive by Vince as the 200-stand came up. The home captain celebrated by lofting Hogan over long-on for six, before steering the seamer to third man to complete his 150 from 123 balls.
With a single by Vince their stand broke the previous best for the fourth wicket against Glamorgan in one-day cricket, set by Middlesex’s Ed Joyce and Jamie Dalrymple who added 220 at Lord’s in 2004. But straight afterwards, Dawson was bowled by Hogan for 74 as Sean Ervine joined Vince for the last five overs. Vince then drove Salter off the back foot over extra cover for four before lofting him to long-on and over mid-wicket for a pair of sixes. He was then dropped at deep square-leg by Meschede as he equalled Gordon Greenidge’s record for the highest score by a Hampshire batsman in List A cricket, made against Glamorgan at Southampton in 1975. But his run spree ended on 178 as he was bowled by a full toss from de Lange.
Two balls later De Lange claimed a fifth wicket as Sean Ervine holed out to Aneurin Donald, who was fielding as the substitute at long-off. In the penultimate over, De Lange bowled his second no-ball over waist height and was withdrawn from the attack as David Lloyd completed the over with Lewis McManus playing a ramp stroke to fine-leg for four before Hampshire ended on 332/6.
With Rudolph still nursing his injury, David Lloyd was joined by Will Bragg as Glamorgan began their run chase. Kyle Abbott and Reece Topley shared the new ball. Lloyd began by square-cutting Abbott to the ropes but with the total on 10 he edged the bowler into the wicket-keeper’s gloves. Salter then joined Bragg who thick-edged Abbott for four before straight-driving the South African for a more authentic boundary.
Salter then inside-edged Ian Holland for four before pulling him to the mid-wicket ropes but with the total on 60 Bragg chipped Dawson to mid-wicket where Vince took a fine one-handed catch above his head. His departure saw the arrival of Ingram as together with Salter they accumulated mainly in singles as Mason Crane joined the attack. However, in a bid to up the tempo, Salter advanced down the wicket to the leg-spinner and was stumped.
Kiran Carlson joined Ingram who drilled Crane for four through mid-off before pulling Dawson for six. Carlson then swept Dawson for four to bring up the 100 in the 25th over before the pair continued their collection of one’s and two’s. Carlson then swept Crane for four before Ingram also swept Dawson for a massive six. Carlson added another boundary to his tally as he lofted Dawson for four to long-on as the equation became 201 from the last twenty overs.
The boundaries continued as Ingram off-drove and swept Crane before Topley returned to the fray. Carlson however struck him over extra cover for four but with the total on 151 he also advanced down the wicket to Crane and was stumped. His departure saw Rudolph make his way to the middle before Ingram completed his fifty from 42 balls.
Rudolph showed no ill effects from his injury by deftly reverse-sweeping Crane for four before Ingram launched Abbott for six over mid-wicket. He then lofted Dawson for a huge six over long-on and almost onto the balcony of the hotel complex lining the boundary opposite the Pavilion.
These blows reduced the task to 143 from 13 overs as Ingram struck another straight six, this time against Abbott as the 200 came up in the 37th over. He celebrated with another straight six in Dawson’s final over before drilling Holland on the up over extra-cover for another coruscating four. With Rudolph shrewdly working the ball away for singles, Ingram completed his turbo-charged hundred from 70 balls with a single to long-on.
Later in the over however, Rudolph became the third man to be stumped by McManus off Crane, as Cooke joined Ingram with 90 needed from 44 balls. Ingram then speared Abbott through backward point for four with Topley then being steered by Cooke to third man for four before Ingram harpooned another six over long-on as the equation became 69 from 30 balls.
Cooke drilled Abbott straight for four before cover-driving Topley to the ropes to maintain the furious tempo. The boundaries continued as Cooke thumped Topley to mid-wicket for four before depositing the bowler over long-off for six. The next ball disappeared through the covers for four as 21 runs came from the 46th over.
Even so, 39 were still required from 18 balls, but Glamorgan’s task was thwarted as Ingram miscued Holland into the hands of backward point. However, Cooke pulled the next ball – a full toss – for six before also depositing the free hit over mid-wicket for six to complete a 24-ball fifty as the equation became 22 from 12 balls. Meschede then majestically drove Abbott back over his head for four and six as the task became nine from the last over from Topley.
To the first ball, Meschede was caught at long-on but the batsmen crossed whilst the ball was in the air, with Cooke swatting the next deliveries for two and one before de Lange smeared a single through the covers. Cooke then struck Topley over mid-wicket for six to win the game with a ball remaining as Glamorgan posted a remarkable victory – their highest-ever total batting second in a one-day match, surpassing the 330/3 made against Sussex at Hove in 2014.