Glamorgan strolled to a three-wicket victory against Surrey with 6.4 overs to spare in their pre-season game at the ICC Academy in Dubai, with Ruaidhri Smith claiming 3/15 and both Aneurin Donald and Graham Wagg hitting assertive half-centuries as the Welsh county successfully chased a target of 239 in their 50 overs.
After weeks of intensive practice and training in the Indoor School at the National Cricket Centre at The SSE SWALEC, Glamorgan’s cricketers have taken to the field today in their first pre-season game against Surrey at the ICC Academy in Dubai. Glamorgan won the toss and invited Surrey to bat first in overcast conditions with the decision to bowl first being vindicated as Lukas Carey made inroads with the new ball, claiming the early wicket of Will Jacks thanks to a catch by Timm van der Gugten.
Rory Burns, the acting captain, and Scott Borthwick then steadied the ship as Surrey reached 71/1 in the 20th over. But a clatter of wickets then fell as Surrey lost four wickets for just 18 runs in the space of six overs. Ruaidhri Smith began by trapping Burns l.b.w before four balls later Andrew Salter snared Arun Harinath, thanks to a catch by Michael Hogan.
Smith then claimed two further wickets each courtesy of catches behind the stumps by Chris Cooke before veteran all-rounder Rikki Clarke struck a few combative blows to see Surrey to the 100-mark in the 29th over. He also reached his half-cemtury with a six over long-off before his forthright innings came to an end on 70. A flurry of late runs from Mathew Pillans and Academy wicket-keeper Jamie Smith saw Surrey end on 238/8 at the end of their 50 overs.
Matt Dunn struck early as Glamorgan lost early wickets, before Aneurin Donald launched a fightback of his own with an asserive half-century, but on 59 Clarke struck again as he trapped Donald l.b.w with Glamorgan on 93/4. Cooke and Kiran Carlson then rebuilt the innings, before each departed with Glamorgan on 192/6 to give Surrey a sniff of victory.
But these were dispelled as Graham Wagg, togther with Andrew Salter, helped Glamorgan to stroll to victory with Wagg posting a typically combative half-century as Glamorgan eased to victory after 43.2 overs.
Glamorgan play Surrey again on Sunday (March 25th) for another 50-over friendly before meeting Lancashire, who are also on pre-season tour in Dubai, in a two-day friendly on March 28th and 29th. The Welsh county’s squad then return to the UK for further pre-season games at Cardiff against Gloucestershire on April 3rd and Lancashire again on April 5th, 6th and 7th before the non first-class friendly against Cardiff MCCU at The SSE SWALEC, starting on April 13th, ahead of the start of their campaign in the Specsavers County Championship, which gets underway the following week at Bristol with the opening contest against Gloucestershire.