Glamorgan’s stirring five-wicket victory over the Essex Eagles at Cardiff in the Royal London One-Day Cup has seen the Welsh county clinch a place in the List A knockout final for the first time since 2013 and only the fourth occasion in the Club’s history. (writes Andrew Hignell)
Glamorgan played at Lord’s in the one-day finals of the Gillette Cup in 1977, the Benson and Hedges Cup in 2000 and the Yorkshire Bank40 in 2013. They lost on each occasion but they have won silverware in the League format of the one-day game by lifting the titles in 1993, 2002 and 2004 – the first of which memorably saw the Welsh county’s side, led by Hugh Morris and featuring West Indian legend Viv Richards, defeat Kent at the St. Lawrence ground to write their own Canterbury tale.
Their first one-day final, in 1977, followed a rancorous summer the year before which had seen overseas star Majid Khan and several other players quit the Club. After the turmoil of the long hot summer of 1976, most journalists gave Alan Jones’ side little hope in the Gillette Cup competition in 1977, but the Welsh county, as so often, proved the doubters wrong as they defeated Worcestershire, Surrey and Leicestershire en route to what was branded ‘Daffodil Day’ at Lord’s, as the historic St. John’s Wood ground resembled something more akin to Cardiff Arms Park for a rugby international.
There may have been plenty of Welsh voices and song echoing around the famous ground, but Lady luck was not on Glamorgan’s side as Middlesex, their opponents in their inaugural final, won the toss in damp conditions and invited the Welsh county to bat first. They ended on 177-9 from their 60 overs, despite a doughty 47 by John Hopkins plus a whirlwind 62 from Mike Llewellyn, who struck a massive six against John Emburey which almost sent the ball over the historic pavilion. Malcolm Nash then struck with his first ball, before having Clive Radley dropped in the slips soon afterwards, with the Middlesex and England batsman breaking Welsh hearts by seeing his side to a five-wicket victory.
Matthew Maynard was Glamorgan’s captain in their appearance at Lord’s in 2000 as they met Gloucestershire in the final of the Benson and Hedges Cup. He duly led by example in the 50 overs game and, having struck a match-winning hundred in the semi-final against Surrey at Sophia Gardens, he became the first batsman to strike back-to-back hundreds as Matthew made 104 in the final at Lord’s. However, his outstanding efforts – which won him the Man-of-the-Match Award - could not steer his side to a match-winning total as Ian Harvey claimed 5/34 before half centuries by Tim Hancock and Matt Windows saw Gloucestershire home by seven wickets.
Glamorgan’s appearance in the final of the 2013 Yorkshire Bank40 competition at Lord’s followed a stirring semi-final victory over Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl with Jim Allenby making an unbeaten 74 and Michael Hogan claiming four wickets. The Notts Outlaws were their opponents in the final and at 90-4 in the 19th over, after both Andrew Salter and Simon Jones had claimed a pair of wickets, the East Midlands side appeared to be on the ropes. But a 99-run stand between David Hussey and Chris Read, plus a dropped catch, helped them to recover to 244-8 at the end of their 40 overs. Chris Cooke then made 46, but Stuart Broad, Ajmal Shahzad and Samit Patel all claimed three wickets apiece as the Welsh county were dismissed for 157 inside 33 overs as the Outlaws won by 87 runs.
Only 33 Glamorgan players can lay claim to have played in a major one-day final for the Welsh county and nine of Kiran Carlson’s side are therefore set to add their names to this roll of honour on Thursday at Trent Bridge, alongside Michael Hogan and Andrew Salter - the two surviving stalwarts of the match at Lord’s in 2013 – besides having an opportunity to create their own unique piece of Welsh sporting history by becoming Glamorgan’s first-ever team to win a List A Cup Final.