Glamorgan go into their final group game of the Royal London One-Day Cup poised to take part in the knockout stages of the List A competition which culminates in the final of the tournament next Thursday 19 August at Trent Bridge. (writes Andrew Hignell)
Their match on Thursday, 12 August against the Yorkshire Vikings at Sophia Gardens will determine whether they participate in the play-offs (or quarter-finals) on Saturday, 14 August, whether they progress straight to the semi-finals next Tuesday, 10 August or whether they miss out completely, although given their healthy run rate, the latter is a most unlikely scenario.
In order to progress straight to the semi-finals Glamorgan, who currently have ten points, would have to finish on top of their group and this will be achieved if they defeat the Vikings, who are on eight points.
However, if Yorkshire defeat Glamorgan a range of other scenarios could occur, with much depending on the Welsh county’s net run rate (which is currently the best in the group) in determining their final position as well as the results of the games involving Somerset and Surrey who each start the closing batch of group games on eight points. Somerset play Warwickshire, whilst Surrey meet Derbyshire, so a victory for both the West Country side as well as the South London club will also elevate them to ten points and put them in the mix.
In addition, Leicestershire, who completed a remarkable run chase on Tuesday against Somerset at Taunton, are also pressing to finish in second or third place should they beat Northamptonshire in their final group game.
What is known for certain is that if Glamorgan finish in second spot, they will have a home play-off against the team finishing third in the other group. Likewise, if they finish in third spot, they will have an away play-off against the second placed side from the other group.
The Welsh county have previously reached the quarter-final stages of a List A competition on 24 occasions since one-day games were introduced into the county calendar in 1963. They reached the last eight of the Benson and Hedges Cup on nine occasions - 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1988, 1990, 1996, 2000 – in addition to playing in the quarter-finals of the Gillette Cup/ Nat West Trophy / Friends Provident Trophy / Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy on fifteen occasions – 1964, 1969, 1972, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994. 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000.
Glamorgan have also played in the semi-finals of these List A competitions on seven occasions. Twice in the Benson and Hedges Cup - 1988, 2000 – four times in the Gillette Cup/ Nat West Trophy / Friends Provident Trophy / Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy - 1977, 1993, 1995, 1997 – and once in the Yorkshire Bank40 competition in 2013. On three occasions – 1977, 2000 and 2013 – they reached the final of the competitions at Lord’s, but lost each game.