64 by Colin Ingram, ably supported by an unbeaten 48 from Aneurin Donald who added 89 runs in 8 overs for the third wicket saw Glamorgan to a six-wicket victory against Gloucestershire at Bristol as the Welsh county maintained their position at the top of their group table in the NatWest T20 Blast.
These are heady days for Welsh sport with the national football team at the European Championships and the rugby team poised to challenge the All Blacks on their tour of New Zealand. As far as Glamorgan’s cricketers are concerned, they are excelling in white ball cricket, and are currently top of their group in the 50 overs competition, and second in the T20 NatWest Blast. The coming week in the 20 overs competition could be a pivotal one as far is the Welsh county is concerned, with away matches tonight at Bristol, and next Wednesday at Taunton, followed by their next home clash next Friday night back in Cardiff against the Kent Spitfires.
Despite an hour and half of rain, play began at 7pm with no overs lost. Glamorgan, who fielded an unchanged line-up, opted to bowl first in the overcast conditions. Hamish Marshall and Michael Klinger opened the batting for the home team as Dale Steyn and Timm van der Gugten shared the new ball. The latter was clipped to fine-leg by Klinger in the second over but two balls later he drilled the pace bowler in the air to cover where Graham Wagg completed the catch.
9/1 then became 11/2 as Marshall drove Steyn into Craig Meschede’s hands at mid-off. Chris Dent responded by cutting the South African for four before inside-edging van der Gugten to the fine-leg ropes. But he also perished as he attempted a lofted drive in Wagg’s opening over as van der Gugten held a good catch running back at mid-off, with Gloucestershire ending the powerplay on 34/3.
Benny Howell and Iain Cockbain then accumulated in a series of singles before the latter pulled Meschede for six to square-leg before being “caught” off successive balls – the first a no-ball and the second a free hit. Howell also scythed Meschede to third man in an over which cost 17 runs. Dean Cosker then entered the attack and with his fourth delivery he claimed the 98th Twenty20 wicket of his career as Howell drove to Steyn at long-off with the home side on 67/4 at the halfway stage.
Cockbain then struck his second six off Meschede, but only just as the ball evaded the outstretched hands of Aneurin Donald at mid-wicket, but the bowler gained reward as later in the over, the batsman edged into Cooke’s gloves. Kieran Noema-Barnett then flicked Cosker for six to square-leg before Steyn and Hogan briefly returned to the fray.
The Kiwi also clipped the latter to the ropes at backward square-leg before straight-driving van der Gugten for six, followed by an edged drive to the ropes at third man plus a flayed drive to the deep mid-wicket boundary. But Noema-Barnett attempted one expansive blow too many against Wagg as Hogan completed a regulation catch at long-on. Gareth Roderick made his way to the middle with the home side on 121/6.
Jack Taylor clubbed a pair of leg-side boundaries in van der Gugten’s final over before square-cutting Wagg for four. Gareth Roderick then scooped Steyn to long-leg for six before swatting the paceman into the hands of third man. Hogan then had Taylor caught at fine-leg before Andrew Tye straight drove his fellow Australian straight for a pair of sixes as the home side ended on 168/8.
Jacques Rudolph and David Lloyd began Glamorgan’s chase with a series of scampered singles, with the latter also drilling both Liam Norwell and Matt Taylor through extra cover for a pair of fours. Rudolph also pulled Taylor to the boards at mid-wicket before his partner did the same when Tye entered the attack. But the Australian removed Lloyd who clipped a ball in the air to third man as Glamorgab lost their first wicket on 29.
Colin Ingram announced his arrival with an on-driven four against Norwell, followed by a pair of massive sixes over square-leg. Rudolph then cover drove Howell’s first delivery for four but three balls later the all-rounder bowled the visiting captain. Aneurin Donald was dropped at square-leg on nought before Ingram cut Noema-Barnett for four. Donald then celebrated his good fortune by pulling Howell for four, followed by a fierce cut through point.
Ingram then deposited a full toss from Noema-Barnett for six to square-leg before unfurling a powerful cover-drive for four. Donald also clipped Tye to fine-leg for four. Ingram then did the same to Howell as the 100 came up in the 12th over and the fifty stand from 34 balls. Donald harpooned Matt Taylor over mid-wicket for six before Ingram completed his fifty from 24 balls.
The target was 49 from 36 balls before Tye bowled two full tosses in the space of four deliveries with each being called no-ball, and he had to be removed from the attack as Dent completed the over with Ingram swatting the second free hit with a switch-hit six over cover. The next delivery was hit straight for six before Klinger at deep extra cover held a skier as Ingram attempted another lofted drive. Chris Cooke then joined Donald with the complexion of the game having changed with Tye’s removal from the attack.
After a brace of singles, Cooke swatted Noema-Barnett for four as the equation became 18 from 24 balls and after another high full toss from Matt Taylor, Cooke clubbed the left-armer over long-on for six. With five runs needed Cooke chipped Howell into short mid-wicket’s hands before Donald ended the game with a lofted cover drive for four against Norwell as Glamorgan won with seven balls in hand.