Colin Ingram blasted a 46-ball hundred (the fastest for the county in T20 cricket) as he made an unbeaten 101 and shared a record stand of 130 in 11.5 overs with Jacques Rudolph (49) to see Glamorgan to an 18-run victory over the Sussex Sharks at Arundel Castle in the NatWest T20 Blast .
With the Welsh county fielding an unchanged line-up, it was David Lloyd and Aneurin Donald who walked out to bat under clear blue skies as Glamorgan were put in to bat and began their first-ever match at the picturesque Arundel Castle ground. Danny Briggs opened the bowling and conceded a pair of singles before David Wiese yielded three in the opening over at the Castle End. Donald then departed to the first ball of the third over as he attempted a sweep against Briggs.
5/1 then became 7/2 as next over Jofra Archer bowled Lloyd. Colin Ingram ended the sequence of dots and ones by clipping Chris Jordan for four to fine-leg. Archer then bowled a head-high full toss which was called a no-ball with Ingram unable to despatch the free hit which was a full length yorker.
However, he made amends by drilling the next ball over extra cover for four before repeating the stroke when Chris Nash entered the attack at the Park End. Ingram then harpooned the next delivery high over long-on for a massive six and into the large throng of spectators on the grassy embankment overlooking the delightful ground.
Ingram added another six to his tally and saw Glamorgan to the 50-mark as he pulled Wiese over mid-wicket, before flat-batting Chris Jordan through mid-off for four. He then clipped Briggs to mid-wicket where Wiese caught the ball before unfortunately tumbling over the rope to reprieve the batsman. Rudolph celebrated by twice sweeping the spinner for four later in the over before reverse-pulling him for six.
Ingram then clipped a full toss from Will Beer for six over mid-wicket, followed by a firm off-drive for four before completing his fifty from 25 balls with another straight six against Beer which also saw the visitors to the 100-mark. Rudolph then brought up the century stand with a muscular on-drive for six against Wiese before Ingram drilled Archer through mid-off for four.
The boundaries continued as Ingram thwacked Wiese square of the wicket for four through point before driving Jordan through long-off for another rasping four Rudolph also slapped Archer through point for four but one short of fifty, and the total on 137, the captain miscued a blow against Jordan as Ben Brown pouched the skier..
His departure saw Chris Cooke make his way to the middle to join Ingram who continued his blitzkrieg by striking successive sixes sweeping and pulling Beer, before lofting him over deep mid-wicket for another six later in the over. Cooke then on-drove and pulled Archer for successive fours followed by an elegant drive over extra-cover for six and another four which bisected the leg-side fielders.
In the final over Ingram duly completed his hundred from just 46 balls to break the Club’s record in this format set by Ian Thomas who made a 50-ball hundred against Somerset at Taunton in 2004 whilst posting the Club record of 116* made at Taunton in 2004. Cooke added another four off the outside edge against Jordan before lofting the England all-rounder over long-off for six as Glamorgan ended on 198/3 with a haemorrhage of 134 runs during the last ten overs.
Nash inside-edged the first delivery from Marchant de Lange to the ropes at fine-leg before Luke Wright swatted the last ball over backward point for six. Nash then repeated the stroke as Timm van der Gugten began at the Castle End but next over Michael Hogan re-arranged the opener’s stumps before next delivery having Stiaan Van Zyl l.b.w. as the Sharks slipped to 22/2 after three overs.
Wright greeted Graham Wagg by cover driving his first delivery before Ross Taylor steered the left-armer through point. Wright then deposited van der Gugten into one of the marquees lining the ropes at long-off before Taylor swept the Dutchman for another maximum over backward square-leg. Wright then pulled de Lange for a massive six before Ingram entered the attack at the Castle End and removed Taylor with his third delivery as he miscued a leg-side blow and spooned a ball to de Lange at short fine-leg.
With Sussex on 69/3 Brown joined Wright and after being recalled by the umpires after appearing to be bowled by Ingram, he cover drove Wagg for a rasping four, before Wright was nearly caught by de Lange at long-off as the fielder also caught the ball but stepped over the ropes as Wright was credited with six runs. Brown though departed with little incident as in Ingram’s third over, and the total on 97, he swatted the leg-spinner into Donald’s hands at deep mid-wicket.
After Laurie Evans joined Wright the target became 91 from 48 balls with Wright completing his fifty from 32 balls before twice biffing Ingram over the marquees at long-off for six. With 70 needed off 30 balls and Evans rotating the strike, Wright cleared the ropes again as he drilled Hogan to long-off for six before edging the bowler for four to third man. With the total on 151 Evans drove van der Gugten to Carlson at long-on with 48 still needed from 18 balls.
Wagg then restricted Wright and Archer to five singles and a straight driven four by Wright before the latter pulled de Lange for four. The paceman then bowled a no-ball with the free hit only going for two before Wright completed his hundred with a thick edge to third man, but he then perished next ball as he pulled de Lange to Wagg at deep square-leg. This left the Sharks needing 23 to win from the last over from Hogan but Jordan and Archer could not find the ropes as Glamorgan completed their first victory in a Twenty20 game on Sussex soil.