Sam Northeast Admits Glamorgan Felt They Had Victory In The Bag . . . After Exhilarating Final Day Run Chase

By David Williams

Sam Northeast has admitted Glamorgan were disappointed with having to settle for a draw at Derbyshire despite rallying with a superb ran chase.

The former Hampshire batsmen – who joined the Welsh county this season – conceded his side could have come out on top in a topsy-turvy final day of their LV=Insurance County Championship Division Two match.

In the end, Glamorgan had to settle for a pulsating draw.

Set 331 in 55 overs, Marnus Labuschagne with 85 from 87 balls and Northeast’s 81 off 101 balls put Glamorgan on course before fast bowler Ryan Sidebottom raised Derbyshire’s victory hopes with 4 for 50.

Sidebottom removed Northeast to reduce Glamorgan to 308 for 8 but James Harris and Timm van der Gugten, batting with a runner, held on for the draw.

https://twitter.com/GlamCricket/status/1520829118283141120

“It was a great finish, the game was going nowhere this morning before Derbyshire made a good declaration which kept us interested,” said Northeast.

“We thought we had it in the bag at times and we were slightly disappointed in the changing room because it felt like we were really close, but it was a really good four days of cricket and credit to both sides.

“Marnus and Lloydy got off to a good start which meant we could go for the win, then we got a bit of momentum but we kept losing a few wickets and it wasn’t to be despite a good effort by the boys.”

Derbyshire wicketkeeper Brooke Guest had earlier scored his second century of the game to equal a 126-year record when he became only the second Derbyshire ‘keeper to make two hundreds in a match.

Wayne Madsen also scored an unbeaten 135, sharing a third wicket stand of 276 in 76 overs with Guest, before Derbyshire declared on 349 for 3.

David Lloyd with 49 launched the chase with Labuschagne but the Glamorgan captain was issued with a Level One warning on the field for abusive language after he was given lbw by umpire Paul Pollard.

The players shake hands and Derbyshire vs Glamorgan ends in a draw, with the visitors finishing 21 runs short of their target on 310-8.

A thrilling final session and a great advert for the County Championship.#CountyCricket2022 https://t.co/iHVXJTnYJy

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) May 1, 2022

Glamorgan coach Matthew Maynard said:” It was a fantastic game. They left us a stiff target but it was a good wicket and we gave it a good crack.

“If we’d had another wicket or two in hand with three or four overs to go, you never know what could have happened.

“It was a great advertisement for the county game, both sides have got quality players and a lot of them showed that quality during the four days, it was a fair result.”

Derbyshire head of cricket Mickey Arthur said: “It was a great final day. When we made the declaration I didn’t expect us to be in the position we were at the back end.

“But it’s been a wonderful game for us for so many reasons with the bat, but our skills with the ball and crucial catches let us down and that’s a work-on.

“(Two hundreds) is testimony to how hard Brooke Guest has worked, when I arrived in January Brooke was the first guy I saw in the nets, he wanted the number three role, and he’s got a really good routine to get things done.”

https://twitter.com/GlamCricket/status/1520820430151503874

Guest and Madsen batted through the morning to set up the drama that unfolded against an attack that was a bowler down after van der Gugten left the field with a hamstring injury.

With the Glamorgan run chase under way, Lloyd was one away from a half-century when he played across the line at Sidebottom and was lbw; he was clearly unhappy with the decision and was issued with the warning for swearing loudly as he marched up the pavilion steps.

Labuschagne was dropped on 74 by Guest but Sidebottom finally got him when he failed to clear cover.

Kiran Carlson’s 37 from 35 balls and Chris Cooke with 32 from 25 gave Glamorgan the momentum but Sidebottom and Anuj Dal stemmed the run flow and, crucially, took wickets.

Northeast pulled Dal for six but when he drove Sidebottom to third man in the penultimate over with 23 still needed, Glamorgan called off the chase with both teams taking 14 points after an enthralling final day.