Glamorgan hold their nerve to edge out Gloucestershire in Blast thriller

AJ Tye, having hit the previous ball for six, missed the last, and Timm Van Der Gugten, having also dismissed Taylor earlier in the over, was Glamorgan’s hero. Glamorgan gained their fourth win, while the visitors were deposed at the top of the table

^{Glamorgan's Michael Hogan}

Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 201-6, Gloucestershire 199-9 - Glamorgan won by two runs

Scorecard

There was a pulsating finish at Sophia Gardens, where Gloucestershire, mainly through the efforts of Jack Taylor, got within three runs of beating Glamorgan.

AJ Tye, having hit the previous ball for six, missed the last, and Timm Van Der Gugten, having also dismissed Taylor earlier in the over, was Glamorgan’s hero. Glamorgan gained their fourth win, while the visitors were deposed at the top of the South Group.

Glamorgan scored 201 for six, with Craig Meschede reaching a career-best 77 not out from 47 balls, which included five sixes and four fours, and setting the visitors a testing target which required them to score at 10 runs an over.

Usman Khawaja, playing his final game for Glamorgan before returning to Australia, and Aneurin Donald opened for the home team with Donald soon into his stride, striking Ryan Higgins for six and four in the bowler’s opening over and then driving Tye for another maximum as the Australian conceded 17 runs.

After driving David Payne for a straight six, the bowler got his revenge two balls later when Khawaja player on to a full delivery, ending an opening partnership of 45 in five overs.

Donald was joined by Meschede, who struck Benny Howell for three successive fours as Glamorgan ended the powerplay on 60 for one. The second-wicket pair added 37 before Donald, who scored 31 from 27 balls, was caught attempting a ramp off Howell.

Kiran Carlson, who top scored in Glamorgan’s win against Surrey earlier in the week, struck a six to get off the mark but after driving Tye to the boundary was out the next ball when he skied to extra cover.

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Chris Cooke, leading the Glamorgan team in the absence of Colin Ingram, then settled into productive partnership with Meschede, scoring a brisk 29 in a partnership of 50, before he was caught at midwicket.

Glamorgan then lost two wickets for one run, as Graham Wagg was leg before to Howell first ball and Andrew Salter was caught behind, but Meschede kept Glamorgan going with a series of attacking strokes.

Tye, one of the best one-day bowlers in world cricket, was struck for 25 in his final over and conceded 50 from his allocated four.

Gloucestershire made a brisk start to their chase and were helped by a five-run penalty when a Glamorgan fielder was penalised for pretending to field the ball, but the home team were soon in control as their guests lost three wickets in quick succession.

Miles Hammond lifted Michael Hogan to long on, then Michael Klinger and Ian Cockbain were out to successive deliveries. Klinger was well held by Hogan at long off, then Cockbain nicked one from Rory Smith to the wicketkeeper. Howell struck Smith for two sixes in the seamer’s final over but when Wagg was brought on, he bowled Howell with his first ball.

Wagg was struck a fierce blow on his head, attempting to get in the way of a drive from Higgins from the fifth ball of his second over, and although reluctant to leave the field, common sense prevailed.

Gloucestershire needed 75 from the final five overs, and a rapid 57 run stand between Jack Taylor and Higgins gave them a flicker of hope before Higgins perished to Hogan.

Taylor kept on swinging but, with 16 runs needed from the final over, Van Der Gugten held his nerve to bowl the Gloucestershire man for 52 from 21 balls. 

Report courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network