A record-breaking and career-best 103* by Owen Morgan guided Glamorgan to victory by five wickets on the final day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Worcestershire at New Road, with the 22 year-old making the second highest-ever score by a night-watchman for the Welsh county in first-class cricket.
Close of Play Report
Owen Morgan had gone to tea unbeaten on 80 and within one boundary of posting the highest-ever score by a night-watchman for Glamorgan. However, the phlegmatic batsman knew that the major target was a further 84 runs in the two hours which were remaining for Glamorgan to record their second Championship win of the summer.
He duly resumed after the interval with Aneurin Donald knowing that the new ball was just ten overs away, and with Brett D’Oliveira’s wrist-spin still being employed, Donald gleefully pulled the first ball to backward square-leg for four. Morgan nurdled Ed Barnard for three before drilling him through mid-off.
Worcestershire took the new ball in a last throw of the dice with Glamorgan still needing 53 further runs. Donald responded with four successive fours against Shantry the first to square-leg, followed by two through the covers and another through point en route to a 63-ball half-century.
He celebrated by straight-driving Leach for six but next over he gloved a pull against Leach and Cox complete the catch with Glamorgan still 28 runs short of their target. Craig Meschede responded by swatting his first delivery for four, and then swatting his fourth to the ropes at third man as Glamorgan inched closer to their target.
In Shantry’s next over, Morgan cover drove the seamer for four before steering Charlie Morris through point for a single to reach 99. Meschede then drilled Morris for four to long-off before cover-driving Shantry for four. With three runs needed, Morgan cover-drove Morris for four to win the game and complete a superb century from 242 balls with his 13th boundary. Only Eifion Jones, with an unbeaten 146 against Sussex at Hove in 1968, has scored more as a night-watchman for Glamorgan.
Teatime Report
Glamorgan were 85/2 when play resumed after lunch with Owen Morgan just two runs short of a career-best and in sight of a maiden Championship half-century. 192 further runs were required as Brett D’Oliveira and Ed Barnard resumed the bowling duties. Together with Morgan, Bragg worked the ball around as the 100 came up in the 46th over before the southpaw flicked D’Oliveira to fine-leg for four, followed by his signature shot as he punched the spinner off the back foot through extra-cover.
Morgan then cover-drove Barnard for four to reach his maiden fifty after three hours at the crease and having faced 138 balls, he emulated the achievements of previous Glamorgan night-watchmen such as Huw Waters, Terry Davies, Alan Wilkins and Colin Metson to score a half-century. The flurry of runs prompted the return of Jack Shantry at the Diglis End but Bragg scythed him through point for four before Morgan unfurled a rasping square-cut for four.
Bragg on 39 had a life as Tom Kohler-Cadmore dropped a low chance at slip as the left-hander edged Barnard, and the bowler’s mood did not improve as Morgan then drilled him through extra cover. Bragg celebrated his good fortune by steering Shantry through backward point before Morgan drilled Barnard for four through the covers.
Joe Leach then returned at the New Road End, but it was Charlie Morris who made the breakthrough as, with Glamorgan on 147, Ben Cox executed a superb leg-side stumping standing up to the seamer as he removed the bails after Bragg over-balanced. Three runs later Leach removed David Lloyd who shouldered arms to the seamer and was adjudged l.b.w.
The phlegmatic Morgan was then joined by Aneurin Donald who punched his first ball off the back foot through the covers for four before steering Morris through the slips for four. He then slapped Leach through backward point for four before Morgan repeated the stroke against successive deliveries from Morris in front and behind square on the off-side as the target dropped below the hundred-mark
Lunchtime Report
Worcester, like Taunton and Canterbury, is one of the popular venues on the county circuit. Devoid of hosting a top-flight football team as well as other trappings of modern metropolitan life, the picturesque New Road ground is one of the jewels in the county town’s crown and proudly hosts matches in a time-honoured way in front of decent-sized and appreciative crowds.
Indeed, the many people who have been present on the first three days of this enthralling contest have enjoyed a game which has ebbed and flowed in favour of each side, before today - under clear blue skies - reaching a conclusion with both teams starting the day hopeful of an outcome in their favour.
Needing 277 to win from a minimum of 105 overs, Nick Selman bagged a pair last night to leave promotion-chasing Worcestershire needing nine wickets today. But the grit and resilience of Jacques Rudolph together with night-watchman Owen Morgan means that Glamorgan start the day requiring a further 261 runs to record their first win at New Road since April 2010.
After an over of spin at the New Road End by Brett D’Oliveira, Joe Leach switched ends and bowled in tandem with Jack Shantry who operated at the Diglis End. Rudolph and Morgan batted watchfully and accumulated in singles, although Morgan had a life as an edge against Shantry bisected first and second slip with the ball running away for two.
Ed Barnard then replaced Leach at the New Road End and was superbly driven through mid-off by Rudolph. A couple of overs later the Glamorgan captain repeated the stroke against Shantry as the ball raced away to the ropes in front of the Cathedral. Morgan continued to defend with a ramrod-straight bat as Brett D’Oliveira returned at the Diglis End with Charlie Morris having a spell at the New Road End. But he was prepared to punish anything off-line as he dispatched Morris through extra cover to bring up the fifty stand.
But with the total on 59, their stand ended as Rudolph drove D’Oliveira into the hands of Tom Fell at short extra cover, as Morgan was joined by Will Bragg who also miscued a drive against the spinner but the ball this time did not carry. Rudolph’s departure saw Leach return to the attack shortly before lunch but Morgan nonchalantly cover drove him for another four, before ding the same to D'Oliveira in the penultimate over of the session.