An unbeaten 144 by Jim Allenby plus 96 from Dean Elgar, who shared a third wicket stand of 187 in 33 overs saw Somerset maintain their unbeaten record in this year’s Royal London One-Day Cup as they defeated Glamorgan by 170 runs at The SSE SWALEC.
The Welsh county made two changes to their side which lost to the Sussex Sharks at Hove on Tuesday with spinners Andrew Salter and Owen Morgan being replaced by Aneurin Donald and Timm van der Gugten. It was Marchant de Lange and Michael Hogan who opened the batting for Somerset, with Steve Davies clipping the former to square-leg before Jim Allenby unfurled a firm straight drive for the day’s first boundary. But de Lange struck an early blow in his second over as he trapped Davies l.b.w. with the visitors on 16/1.
Peter Trego began by upper-cutting de Lange for four followed by a clip just over square-leg’s head, plus a typically muscular drive on the up through mid-off when van der Gugten entered the attack. But he perished in the tenth over as Hogan, who had delivered a frugal opening salvo, held onto a return catch as the all-rounder chipped the ball back to the bowler with Somerset on 42/2.
Dean Elgar began with a series of singles before clipping Craig Meschede’s first delivery to the ropes at mid-wicket followed by a coruscating on-drive for four against van der Gugten. Allenby then square-drove van der Gugten for four before Elgar on-drove Lloyd for another boundary.
Their steady accumulation continued as Allenby saw Somerset to the 100-mark by punching Lloyd square of the wicket to the point boundary before sweeping Ingram for four. Elgar also harpooned Meschede over long-on for six, followed by a glance to fine-leg for four as he completed a 59-ball fifty shortly before Allenby followed suit from 89 balls with an upper cut for four against the pace bowler.
The century stand came up from 130 deliveries as Allenby swept Ingram for six high over mid-wicket with the visiting captain also savagely square-cutting van der Gugten for four when he returned at the Cathedral Road End prior to on-driving Hogan to the ropes at mid-wicket. Elgar also drilled another six in the same area against van der Gugten.
A sequence of singles saw the 150-stand come up before Allenby glanced Meschede to fine-leg for four with the 200 coming up shortly afterwards with another crisp on-drive by Elgar. Allenby then swatted a full toss from Ingram for six before Elgar top-edged a pull against van der Gugten and departed for 96. With his side on 229/3, Allenby was joined by James Hildreth and he began with an off-drive for four against the Dutchman, plus a clip to the ropes at backward square-leg.
He also swatted van der Gugten over point for four before Allenby then reached his century from 131 balls before Hildreth skewed a free hit from de Lange high in the air over point for six. Allenby then struck de Lange for four and six to fine-leg and mid-wicket, whilst Hildreth’s cameo continued with a pair of upper cuts to the ropes at backward point.
On 117 Allenby had a life as a low catch was dropped at mid-on. He celebrated by pulling de Lange for a pair of huge sixes before clipping a no ball from Hogan through the covers for four followed by a straight drive for six. Another difficult chance was missed at long-on in the penultimate over. Hildreth then completed a 26-ball fifty followed by a six over point against de Lange as Somerset ended on 338/3.
Somerset remained on top as Craig Overton removed Jacques Rudolph with his eighth delivery as the Glamorgan captain edged a drive into the wicket-keeper’s gloves. 5/1 saw Will Bragg join David Lloyd with the southpaw striking the first boundary of the Glamorgan reply as he punched Overton off the back foot through cover, but with the total on 19, Lloyd departed l.b.w. to Josh Davey.
Bragg then clipped Davey to fine-leg for four but with the total on 27, Ingram drove Davey to mid-on where Overton took a good low catch. Kiran Carlson began with a sweetly-timed cover-drive against Davey before drilling Tim Groenewald through point for four.
With Bragg pushing the ball around for one’s and two’s, Carlson unfurled an elegant cover drive against Groenewald before on-driving him for another crisply struck four. Both batsmen then enjoyed good fortune as Carlson inside-edged Paul van Meekeren to fine-leg and Bragg outside-edged Allenby to third man, but the latter perished a couple of balls later as he was smartly stumped by Steve Davies as he played forward to Allenby.
Aneurin Donald began with an off-drive against Allenby but with the total on 95, he became the fifth man to depart as he was bowled by van Meekeren. Carlson brought up the 100 with a deft flick to fine-leg before he completed a 47-ball fifty – his first in List A cricket. Chris Cooke then cover drove Allenby before Carlson lofted the all-rounder to long-off.
Cooke also drilled Roelof van der Merwe through mid-off for four but with the total on 137, Groenewald returned and bowled Carlson for 63. Next over Cooke was bowled by van der Merwe before de Lange was caught at the second attempt by Hildreth at mid-off. After a series of singles, Meschede then holed out at long-on as he tried to loft van der Merwe into the River Stand.
Van der Gugten lofted Groenewald for four to long-off but he perished at mid-wicket trying to loft van der Merwe for six as the Glamorgan innings ended on 168.