Matt Maynard admits early collapse all but ended Glamorgan’s chances in Surrey defeat

NICK FRIEND: Tom Curran took a hat-trick, dismissing David Lloyd, Colin Ingram and Billy Root in three consecutive deliveries to leave the visitors six for three in response to Surrey’s 141

Matt Maynard admitted that his team’s chances of maintaining their unbeaten T20 record at The Oval were all but over once Tom Curran had run through his side’s top order in the second over of the Welsh county’s run chase.

Curran took a hat-trick, dismissing David Lloyd, Colin Ingram and Billy Root in three consecutive deliveries to leave the visitors six for three in response to Surrey’s 141. It was a start from which Maynard’s team never recovered, finishing 44 all out – the lowest score in English domestic T20 history.

“It’s just one of those days that, in cricket and in sport, sometimes you can’t always explain,” he reflected.

“I think it’s one of those today. I played in a team that got bowled out for 31 – but we cracked on and we won the next couple of games and that’s what we’ve got to do now. Every now and then you get them in the game of cricket and, yes, they’re frustrating, but it happens.”

When Owen Morgan edged Jade Dernbach to Ollie Pope, Glamorgan were reeling at nine for four, before Pakistani opening batsman Fakhar Zaman hit Gareth Batty to long-on for 17. From 33 for five, the rest of the Glamorgan innings quickly subsided.

“If you lose more than three wickets in the first three overs, your chances of winning go down to 25 percent,” Maynard said in mitigation of the eventual collapse. “So, there was a chance but we’d have needed partnerships.”

However, he remained relatively upbeat, having watched his side earlier perform heroically in the field. Billy Root, Marchant de Lange and David Lloyd all took terrific catches, with Root’s boundary effort a particular piece of brilliance.

Their ground fielding was equally impressive, while De Lange rounded off Surrey’s innings with three wickets in four balls in a fine first half for Colin Ingram’s team.

“I thought our fielding and bowling was excellent,” Maynard added. “Sometimes, 140 is harder than chasing 190. We didn’t get off to a great start. Tom Curran bowled brilliantly after a good first over from Dernbach. Curran comes in a takes a hat-trick and puts you right on the back foot.

“Of course, the run rate starts creeping up and you try and put partnerships together, but we never did that.”

He added that Glamorgan will be without Michael Hogan for their game against Middlesex after the veteran seamer injured his thigh.

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