Monday, August 6, 2012

Glamorgan v Gloucestershire, St Helens, Swansea, 01-04/08/12

In what has been widely described as Robert Croft's last first class game at his beloved St Helen's (although you wouldn't bet on it), the veteran off spinning master mopped up the last 4 Gloucestershire wickets on the final afternoon to give Glamorgan a hard earned victory by 26 runs.

A Glamorgan win looked pretty unlikely on the first day as the usual batting collapse left the home side in dire straits at 58/6.

But some indifferent bounce, and a spinning surface from the off, were always going to produce a result if the weather held (and it did in defiance of forecasts).


Jim Allenby bats...

 

...as does Mark Wallace



Forecast defying weather on the Swansea coast

 

Allenby picking up Rob Nicol after lunch on Day 2


St Helen's, still a fine setting

 

Crofty, now the longest serving first class pro...

 

...mopping up the final wickets on Day 4...


...whirling away...



...and the final ball...
ID Saxelby c Cosker b Croft 3



...and a victory at last


To quote David Hopps on Twitter:

"Crofty wins his last championship game at Swansea with four wickets in 23 balls and minutes to spare. That's not rain, that's tears, that is"

Magic. See it here








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