Image Credit- Getty
Glamorgan and Gloucestershire played out an enthralling tie that was one for the history books as Glamorgan’s jaw-dropping run chase just felt short at the final stretch.
Walking in to chase what was a Herculean 593, the Welsh-based county battled and grafted heroically to level the scores, with their skipper Sam Northeast topping their pile with a masterful 187. Overseas import Marnus Labuschagne gave him the support he needed by scoring a fluent 119 of his own that saw them harbor realistic hopes of overhauling the target, and also probably etch themselves in the history books by completing the highest ever run-chase in first-class cricket.
With the scores tied, and Glamorgan’s last man Jamie Mcllroy on strike, the equation was down to a single needed of the last ball, but he edged Ajeet Singh Dale’s last delivery and was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper James Bracey to spark absolute mayhem in the stands.
The two teams split 11 points in what was the first tied English county cricket match in six years. Glamorgan’s fourth-inning score was the highest in a first-class match played in England and the third-highest in history worldwide.
With seven wickets remaining at the start of their second innings, Labuschagne and Northeast were crucial players in Glamorgan’s attempt to chase a world record mark. They exploited a field that is renowned for its rapid scoring to keep the scoreboard moving, with Northeast reaching his fifty from seventy balls and then bringing up the partnership of one hundred in twenty-four overs.
Labuschagne’s increasing level of adventure improved Gloucestershire’s prospects of getting rid of him, and his dismissal was met with intense emotion.
Chris Cooke, the next batsman, and Northeast held their ground, reaching lunch on 341-4 at the end of a 119-run session. James Bracey made an amazing diving catch behind the stumps, and Taylor found his outside edge, so Cooke could not hold on for long. The visitors were reduced to 348 for 5.
Glamorgan had a legitimate feeling that they could pull off a stunning upset when Northeast stayed in the middle, needing to score an additional 140 with 38.4 overs remaining in the final session.
After that, Gloucestershire got the wicket they truly desired when Taylor got an outside edge and Bracey made a tumbling catch, his tenth of the game, to put an end to Northeast’s long journey. In a 277-ball innings, Northeast had amassed 22 fours, and when Crane and Gorvin combined for the ninth wicket, they were still 49 runs short of their objective.
With 32 runs still needed, Gorvin hit seven while regularly coming off the pitch and then bowled by De Lange after he left a straight ball. In the last few overs, Crane took charge of organising the chase and dominated the strike as Gloucestershire forced their fielders back against the boundary.
Crane needed to score two more runs in the last over, which was bowled by Singh Dale, after last man McIlroy nicked Webster for four through fine leg in the penultimate over. A dramatic finish was set up when he scampered a single off the penultimate ball while tied down. With McIlroy out, Crane was 43 runs without a wicket from 85 balls.