Glamorgan Season 2019

Unfortunately, didn't get to watch as much live cricket as usual this summer.

Despite this (or maybe because of it), Glamorgan had a much better season in the County Championship and went into the last game at Durham still in with a chance of promotion top Division 2. Unfortunately, rain prevented much play and the club had to settle for fourth place. In truth, defeats to Middlesex, Lancashire, and Worcestershire before the last few games were the hammer blows in denting Glamorgan's promotion hopes.

White ball cricket was a much poorer place for the Welsh county, and this must improve significantly in 2020.

The pictures are taken from Glamorgan's first County Championship game in Newport for many a year, due to the club's Sophia Gardens ground being used for the World Cup.

Glamorgan v Surrey, T20, Cardiff, 17/08/18

The final match of Glamorgan's T20 campaign was something of a damp squib ending in a DLS victory for Surrey after rain curtailed the visitors' chase of 184.

Both sides started the evening still hopeful of qualifying for the quarter finals via a top 4 place in the South Group. However, this relied on Sussex losing to Middlesex, which was unlikely to, and ultimately didn't, happen.

Glamorgan went pretty well in their 20 overs, although lacked the really big score to push them closer to 200. David Lloyd top scored with 39.

Rain delayed Surrey's reply but got in enough of their innings to pass the adjusted target of 36 for no loss in the minimum 5 overs required, with Aaron Finch blasting 44 not out off  just 16 balls.

Ultimately, Glamorgan just wasn't good enough in this year's T20 and is too reliant on Colin Ingram to score big and quickly.

Cricinfo report is here.

Autumnal and dank

Glamorgan build

Glamorgan v Essex, T20, Cardiff, 07/08/18

It was another tense finish at Sophia Gardens as Glamorgan got home by 6 runs against a competitive Essex outfit.

Put in, the home side posted an impressive 198 off its 20 overs, with main man Colin Ingram again superb with 89 not out, aided well by Graeme Wagg, who struck 53.

Essex struggled initially but were still in the game needing 23 off the last over with Ravi Bopara at the crease. Thankfully, Michael Hogan dug into all of his experience to restrict the visitors, and keep Glamorgan's good run going.

Cricinfo report is here.

Glamorgan v Gloucestershire, T20, Cardiff, 03/08/18

Glamorgan closed out a thrilling last ball victory over Gloucestershire in a 400 run thriller on a warm Friday night in Cardiff.

The home side posted an excellent 201 in 20 overs with Craig Meschede top scoring with a brilliant 77 off 47 balls. But the visitors chased it right to the death, coming within 3 runs of successfully scoring the 75 required off the last 5 overs.

Cricinfo report is here.

Glamorgan v Sussex, T20, Cardiff, 08/07/18

Following Friday's night's opening fixture victory away at Hampshire, there were high expectations for Glamorgan's first home game of the T20 campaign.

Sadly, on a sweltering afternoon at Sophia Gardens, a lackluster home display resulted in a comfortable 8 wicket win for the visitors from Sussex.

Colin Ingram (who else?) was the mainstay of Glamorgan's 173/4, but too few runs were scored in the 6 over powerplay.

Sussex rarely looked troubled in reply, with the ever excellent Luke Wright smashing 88 off 53 balls.

Cricinfo report here.

Glamorgan v Gloucestershire, T20, Cardiff, 10/07/16

Glamorgan's fine run in Twenty 20 cricket came to an end as Gloucestershire emerged as comfortable winners in this Sunday afternoon top of the table clash, cruising home by 9 wickets with nearly 4 overs to spare.

In truth, it was a rather strange afternoon all round, as the home side played on the same used wicket as Thursday night's clash with Sussex, then chose to bat first and turning in a rather insipid display mustering only 119 in 20 overs. Solely Graeme Wagg, with an unbeaten 32, adding some necessary momentum.

The Bristol based men had no trouble knocking off the runs with Michael Klinger and Iain Cockbain stroking half centuries.

That said, Glamorgan still remain well placed to reach the quarter finals, and will be keen to make amends away to Hampshire this coming Thursday.

Report

Scorecard

Matt Taylor opens up against David Lloyd

Glamorgan v Sussex, T20, Cardiff, 07/07/16

Glamorgan continued their superb form in Twenty 20 cricket with a stunningly easy win over a star-studded Sussex line up at Cardiff, making it 6 wins from 7 played matches in the South Group.

David Lloyd was the bedrock of the Glamorgan innings with a fine 81, displaying more of the short form skills that he also showed against Kent a few weeks back.

To be truthful, the home side's 159 off 20 overs felt a little under par, especially after being 128/2 in the 13th over.

In reply, the boys from Brighton didn't even sniff it. A miserly 6 over powerplay from Wagg, van der Gugten, Tait and Hogan set the tone. Luke Wright fell cheaply and there were only minor cameos from Ross Taylor and Chris Jordan, as Sussex folded to 113 all out, leaving Glamorgan comfortable winners by 46 runs, a huge margin in T20.

In fairness, they all did well but vdG's 4/17 from 4 overs was the bowling highlight.

Scorecard

Report

Beer to Lloyd....

....who clips him to leg

Glamorgan v Surrey, T20, Cardiff, 24/06/16

Glamorgan completed a T20 double over the men from South London with an impressive bowling and fielding display in front of a good crowd in decent June weather.

Dale Steyn has proved to be masterstroke of a signing and, in his last game for the county, returned 2 wickets for 20 runs off 4 overs. Dean Cosker was also impressive with 2 for 23 off his 4. Surrey were all out for 110.

Despite losing David Lloyd early on, Glamorgan's response with the bat was sublime. Jacques Rudolph anchored it with an unbeaten 40, but the start turn was Colin Ingram with 73 not out off 49 balls.

Glamorgan won comfortably with over 4 overs left.

Scorecard
Report

Firing up the home crowd

Dale Steyn warms up for his last Glamorgan spell

Andrew Salter was part of some fine Glamorgan fielding and catching

Another good crowd in for T20

Glamorgan's reply with the bat was (almost) faultless

Glamorgan v Hampshire, T20, Cardiff, 03/06/16

By complete contrast to Wednesday evening, Glamorgan turned in a superb display to defeat star studded Hampshire by 5 wickets in front of a packed crowd on a glorious Friday evening.

Electing to bowl, the Daffodil county were on fire and claimed wickets at regular intervals with Michael Hogan claiming 4, Dale Steyn 3 and the evergreen Dean Cosker 2. They were backed up with outstanding catching.

Hampshire could not get going and only managed 141, being bowled out 3 balls shy of 20 overs, despite boasting Michael Carberry, James Vince and Shahid Afridi amongst their line up.

In reply, Rudolph and Lloyd fell early but Aneurin Donald with a blistering 55, Colin Ingram with a superb 43 and a fine cameo of 24 not out from Chris Cooke saw Glamorgan home to send the noisy crowd home happy.

Scorecard

Not a bad trio warming up: Michael Carberry, James Vince and Shahid Afridi 

Graeme Wagg bowls to England's James Vince

Good weather and a big crowd

Dale Steyn....

...in full flow...

...a fine Glamorgan signing

Glamorgan v Essex, T20, Cardiff, 01/06/16

It was an insipid start to this year's home matches in the T20 Blast by Glamorgan as they fell to a dispiriting loss to Essex by 7 wickets with nearly 4 overs remaining.

Under leaden skies, Glamorgan batted first but posted an inadequate 140 on a good Cardiff pitch. Only 51 from impressive Aneurin Donald, 26 from Colin Ingram and an unbeaten 23 from Chris Cooke gave the score respectability.

In reply, Essex could have got off to the worst possible start as Dale Steyn's first ball for Glamorgan was dropped at slip by Donald off Ravi Bopara's bat-edge. He went soon after but a fierce 42 from Jessie Ryder and 41 from Tom Westley set up Ryan ten Doeschate and Dan Lawrence to see the visitors over the line.

It was a poor start to the home campaign for Glamorgan especially after the previous week's brilliant victory over Surrey at the Oval, proving disappointing for those who turned out.

All the fun of the T20, but a poor crowd under grey skies

Glamorgan try to build a total under the floodlights

Pakistan left arm seamer Wahab Riaz went for 44 runs in 4 overs

Scorecard

Surrey v Somerset, T20, Kia Oval, London, 17/07/15

Having travelled to London last Friday in readiness for the Saturday of the Lord's Test, I couldn't help but notice that there was a cheeky bit of Twenty 20 going on at The Oval in the evening and, thanks to a kind friend on social media, we were able to visit the 'Saarf' London ground for the first time.

Surrey turned in an impressive display, especially on the batting front. They amassed 208 for 1 off 20 overs, dominated by a superb 122 not out off 65 balls by Jason Roy. He was well supported by Kumar Sangakkara and Rory Burns as Somerset were smashed all around the famous venue.

When it came to Somerset's turn to bat, they never really looked in it. In fairness, chasing more than 10 runs an over was always going to be a big ask in front of more than 20,000 spectators, many of whom were indulging after a week's work in The City.

The South Group is really tight with Surrey still in the chase for a quarter final place along with Glamorgan and a few other counties.

Cricinfo report and scorecard

The impressive Kia Oval....

...and its famous old pavilion

Surrey took full advantage of batting first...

...Jim Allenby got a bit of tap from Jason Roy

Played out in more great weather...

....the view from the OCS Stand balcony

Jason Roy celebrates his 100....

...and acknowledges the crowd after achieving the landmark

Glamorgan v Gloucestershire, T20, Cardiff, 25/07/14

On an absolutely perfect summer's evening for cricket, Glamorgan cruised into the quarter finals of the T20 Blast by hammering near neighbours Gloucestershire by 8 wickets with 8 overs to spare, thereby securing a trip to Lancashire next Friday to see who will progress to Finals Day

Bowling first, the Welshmen turned in an enthusiastic and committed display in the field which limited the Bristol side to just 108.

Jacques Rudolph

In reply, Glamorgan made light work of the chase with both Rudolph 44 and Murray Goodwin unbeaten on 41.

Stewart Walters

Scorecard
Report